Save You Later
by mia2009
Summary: Going back to Season 1 with this one. The CIA believes Chuck's cover has been blown and has decided to move him to an underground bunker. Before he leaves Sarah makes him a promise.
1. Chapter 1

_**Okay, so I have been working on this little story for a while now. For this one, we are going all the way back to season 1, to a little episode called "Chuck vs The Marlin." For any of you who have not seen the episode, shame on you why are you even here? Just kidding, but as a little refresher, this was the episode, where Chuck found a bug in the Buy More, planted by a Fulcrum mole. The CIA ended up robbing the Buy More to sweep for more bugs, etc... Meantime Devon had given Chuck his grandmother's ring to hang onto until he figured out how he was going to propose to Ellie. The ring ends up missing when the Buy More is robbed. Come the end of the episode, the CIA decides they are moving Chuck to a underground bunker because his cover has been blown.**_

_**Now, my story is going to pick up here with Longshore taking Chuck into custody and getting ready to move him out. The outcome is a bit different than the way the episode ended. I don't know if a story like this has ever been done because I wasn't on the fanfic boards during season 1. So hopefully this will be something new for you all too.**_

_**For the majority of this chapter, the dialogue is the actual dialogue that was used in the show, so I cannot take any credit for that. However, It does change over near the end of the chapter and becomes my own original dialogue.**_

_**So I know this is an incredibly short chapter for me, but it will give you the set up for the premise of this story. It really was the best place to end it. Hope you like it.**_

_**Disclaimer: I unfortunately own nothing.**_

_**Alright so if you managed to make it through the incredibly long and rambling author's note, onto the story.**_

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

He sat defeated, in the backseat of Longshore's car. It was the end of the road for him. His life as he knew it was officially over.

"So… this is it huh? I'm going to get my own padded cell. Do I get a bed or is my whole room kind of like a bed?" He was half joking but half serious at the same time.

Longshore glanced back at him through the rearview mirror.

"It's not as bad as it sounds. The underground complex where you'll be living has state of the art security and amenities. You'll even be allowed outside to visit controlled locations."

Chuck took in his words, everything seemed so surreal to him. How could this be happening? And then it dawned on him. All he was leaving behind. "Hold on, I…I… can't leave without telling Ellie something. A reason for going…what should I say?"

"Nothing. It's safer for them if you just disappear." His words were cold and unfeeling.

Chuck sat silently trying his best to comprehend such an absurd concept. Disappearing without a word. Given his and Ellie's history with their parents, it was something he would never do, not to her and she knew it. How could he?

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><p>Longshore guided Chuck to the rooftop. The two men made their way to the helipad. Chuck becoming more and more hesitant, the closer they got.<p>

"Longshore!"

The two men, surprised by their unexpected company, turned to see Sarah quickly approaching. Chuck breathed a slight sigh of relief and a small smile began to form on his face.

Longshore reached for his gun. "Is there a problem Agent Walker?"

"Sarah, thank God you're here I don't wanna go yet…I can't.." Chuck began to ramble uncontrollably.

"Agent Casey is tracking down the fulcrum mole and he should have her in custody soon. " Sarah turned her attention to Chuck "So we can…hold off…on the Chuck transfer for the time being."

"If there was a change in the operation I would have been contacted. I have my orders." Longshore responded.

Sarah nervously shook her head. "We don't have to do this." She spoke through her nerves. "This is a judgment call; we can hold Chuck here until we know for sure."

Longshore took hold of Chuck's arm and pulled him in the direction they were initially headed before Agent Walker's interruption. "His cover was blown, he's gone."

"No!.. I will take full responsibility. Chuck is my asset, he's my guy…just give us some more time…Please." She pleaded the best she knew how.

"I would appreciate it. I really would." Chuck chimed in in one last desperate attempt.

"Please don't do this." Sarah reached behind her back, her hand rested securely on her gun, ready if she needed it.

"Okay, you got one minute. One Minute!" Longshore emphasized the one minute before stepping back away from them, giving the two of them some space. Sarah eyed him as she made her way closer to Chuck until she came to stand directly in front of him.

"I'm not ready Sarah; I'm not ready to disappear."

"No. I know."

"I need you to talk to Ellie and to Morgan and my friends and tell them…tell them I don't know….look if I'm supposed to be dead, just tell them something that will make it okay…that will make them feel alright. Just make sure they know how much I love them…You can do that right?"

She nodded as the tears welled in her eyes.

"Of course you can, you're Sarah, you can do anything."

She attempted a smile through the nearly formed tears.

"And hey there's a silver lining to this to you know. Cuz we're not working together anymore, which means we can go on a date. You can come by my cell and we can hang out and you can tell me who the president is."

She snickered at his attempt at humor. Leave it to Chuck to try to make her feel alright when his world was crumbling down before him.

"And maybe..." he held his cuffed hands open for hers. She placed her hands in his and their eyes locked with one another. "Maybe we can see how we really feel."

"Times up!" Longshore called out, interrupting their heartfelt goodbye.

Chuck shifted his attention to Longshore. He had nearly forgotten he was even there; he had been so caught up in his moment with Sarah. He turned back to look at her again.

"Goodbye Sarah."

A single tear fell from her eye and cascaded down her cheek. He had never seen her cry before. For a long time he didn't even think it was something she was capable of. But over the past year, they had gotten close, maybe not as close as Chuck would have liked them to be, but they were friends. Good friends. Not to mention the thing that was going on between the two of them behind the cover relationship, whether Sarah was ready to admit it or not.

He released her hands and turned to walk away. He was halfway across the rooftop to Longshore when she stopped him.

"Chuck!" she managed to call out to him through the tears.

He turned and locked eyes with her once again.

"Save you later."

He offered a half a smile and a slight nod of the head.

Without thinking Sarah rushed towards him. She pulled him into a hug. "I'll find you." She whispered into his ear. "I'll fix this Chuck…I promise."

"Let's go Bartowski." Longshore interrupted.

Chuck and Sarah pulled apart. He gave her one last lingering look before finally turning away from her once again and joining Longshore at the helipad.

The three of them averted their eyes as the helicopter came in for a landing, the wind gusting around them. The chopper finally landed and Sarah watched as Longshore and Chuck boarded.

Chuck turned to look at her through the small helicopter window. Within seconds, they were airborne. Her eyes remained glued to the chopper until it was completely out of sight. Sarah fell to her knees allowing the tears to flow freely, the faint sounds of the propellers still echoing in the darkness.

"I'm so sorry Chuck." She choked on her own words.

She had told him she would always protect him. She would keep him safe. She asked him to trust her. She had failed at her job, and more importantly she had failed him.

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><p><em><strong>Okay, so what did everyone think? Good? Bad? Worth continuing? If you readers are interested let me know, perhaps another chapter will be coming your way this weekend.<strong>_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Okay, so I did promise another chapter this weekend if there was interest and there appears to be. I want to thank you all for your reviews, it means a lot. Also, I just want to say I know that the majority of the first chapter was exactly what happen in Chuck vs the Marlin. To be fair I did warn you all in my author's note last chapter. Okay so on to Chapter 2. This is all Original work and dialogue so I hope you like it.**_

**Chapter 2**

Sarah paced the concrete floor of Castle. Casey stood by as they waited for General Beckman and Director Graham to conference in. Casey watched her wearily. He certainly didn't expect things to turn out the way they did tonight. Disregarding their direct orders to go after the Fulcrum mole together, he chose to go alone, sending Sarah after Chuck, fully expecting her to return with him.

Casey was about to speak when the monitor came to life and their superiors appeared before them.

Sarah approached the screen. "General, Director." She greeted them. "The Fulcrum mole is in custody, we can stop the transfer….bring Chuck home. There's no need for him to go into hiding."

"Agent Walker." Director Graham addressed her. "As pleased as we are to hear that the mole has been captured, we have no intention of reversing the transfer. The asset is secure."

Sarah's face fell. "What?...Why?"

"Director, there is no longer a threat to the intersect. His identity is safe." Casey chimed in.

"Major Casey, Agent Walker." Beckman spoke up. "The matter is not up for discussion. The truth is Bartowski should have been placed in a bunker a long time ago. The outcome was inevitable; it was just a matter of time. The CIA is taking responsibility for the asset. You'll be glad to know that your assignment in Burbank is has come to an end."

Sarah and Casey looked at one another. Completely shocked by what they were hearing.

"You are to shut down operations. Major, you will be shipping out to rejoin your former special ops team in Afghanistan in the morning." Beckman finished.

"Agent Walker, I expect you at Langley tomorrow. You will be briefed and receive your new assignment." Graham spoke up.

Sarah stood speechless before them.

"Good work team." Graham added before disconnecting with them.

"I can't believe this." Sarah said turning her attention to Casey. "A year on this assignment and this is how it ends? They lock him up anyway?" Her voice getting louder the more she talked.

"Walker, it's out of our hands now." Casey replied.

"No!...No Casey… I promised him... I told him I would keep him safe. I asked him to trust me… And what am I supposed to tell Ellie?"

Casey sighed; his eyes fell to the floor. "Tell her he's dead."

Sarah looked up at him in shock. "What?"

"Tell her he's dead. She'll grieve for a while, but eventually move on… If she thinks he's out there somewhere, that he just up and left for no good reason…she won't understand. It'll be easier on her if she thinks he's dead."

"Easier on her? Listen to yourself. Obviously you don't know Ellie." Sarah shook her head. "No…no, Casey I can't. I won't do that her." She swallowed hard. "I'm going to find him."

"What?"

"I'm going to find him and bring him home."

"Walker, how exactly do you think that's going to work? What do you think you can just show up at the underground bunker ask for him and everyone will just step aside and let you take him? It's a rogue mission Walker, you'd be going against the CIA. If they catch you, you'll go to jail for treason."

"I don't care Casey!...I promised him." The last few words barely audible.

Casey grunted.

"What? What's that supposed to mean?"

"The nerd really got to you didn't he? And here I thought it was purely some kind of weird infatuation you had for the guys you work with, but it's more than that. You really fell for him."

"What? Don't be ridiculous Casey. Chuck is my friend; he's my asset, nothing more. I made a promise to him and I intend to keep it."

Casey gave her a knowing look. He extended his hand to her. "Agent Walker."

Sarah shook his hand.

"I know we didn't start off on the right foot with one another, but for what it's worth, working with you hasn't been all terrible."

Sarah smirked. "Likewise Casey."

"Oh, I almost forgot." Casey reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. "I got this off the Fulcrum mole. I think it's the engagement ring Chuck was holding for Devon. The one that went missing." He placed the piece of jewelry into Sarah's open palm. "I figured you'd know what to do with it."

"Thanks." She replied, looking down at it.

With that Casey grabbed his belongings and headed out of Castle. Sarah's eyes remained fixated on the ring in her hand. She would see to it that Devon got it back, but in the meantime she had bigger fish to fry. Fish that went by the name of Ellie Bartowski.

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><p><em><strong>The next morning….<strong>_

Sarah had waited patiently outside of his apartment, hidden from sight, waiting for Ellie to leave for work. She figured it was better this way. She had had a pretty rough night. Sleep was impossible. Every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was a distraught Chuck being yanked away and forced into a helicopter. His eyes pleading with her to help him.

Sarah watched as Ellie finally emerged from the apartment. She proceeded towards her car. Sarah watched her get inside and waited until she pulled out onto the road. Once the coast was clear she approached his window. She carefully opened it and slipped inside his bedroom.

Sarah looked around taking in her surroundings. The video games, comic books, the Tron poster. She had never really thought about it before, but if one didn't know better, they may have thought they had stepped into the room of a pre-pubesant boy. She never found any of it juvenile though. For him it just fit, she actually found it kind of…well…adorable.

Her eyes locked on the picture frame that graced his night stand. She picked it up and ran her finger over the photograph it concealed. It was the picture she had taken of them at Halloween. Their first and only real picture. She smiled at the memory of that night. Sarah went to set the frame back down on the nightstand but hesitated. She lowered herself to the bed and took a seat on it's edge. Sarah flipped the frame over and removed the backing, followed by the picture. She tucked the picture into her jacket pocket before placing the backing back on and returning the now empty frame to the night stand.

Sarah noticed the time displayed on Chuck's alarm clock. She didn't have much time if she was going to make her flight to D.C. She still had one more stop to make before the airport.

Sarah stood up and made her way through the apartment. She decided to leave the note on the dinner table, where it would easily be found. She had typed the letter but penned Ellie's name on the front of the envelope. Fortunately with her expertise spy skills she was able to forge Chuck's penmanship perfectly.

Sarah placed the letter on the middle of the table and made her way out the door. One last mission to complete before shipping out.

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><p>Devon was making his way across the cafeteria, with his fresh coffee in hand when he spotted her. He grabbed a lid for his cup and made his way towards her.<p>

"Sarah?"

She looked up nervously when she heard her name.

"Sarah what are you doing here?...You okay?" he asked. It was quite obvious to him that the girl seemed somewhat troubled.

"Hey Devon. Yeah I'm fine."

"What brings you by? People don't usually frequent hospitals for the heck of it."

Sarah smiled. "Actually I came to see you Devon." She paused to gather her thoughts before continuing. "I'm leaving town for a while but before I left….well Chuck had asked me to give you something. It's kind of important."

Devon looked at her with confusion. He watched as she pulled the ring from her pocket.

Sarah could actually hear Devon breathe a sigh of relief. "My grandmother's ring!"

Sarah smiled in response as she handed it off to him. "I was beginning to think maybe Chuck had lost it. He really kind of blew it for me and Ellie last night." Devon said, referring to his botched proposal after Chuck had failed to show up with the ring.

Sarah knew she was going to have to sell this if it was going to work. She didn't realize the tears would come so easily. She looked down at the ground before speaking again. "Yeah, he's sorry about that….things…well things got a little crazy last night." Her words softened and drifted off.

"What do you mean?" Devon asked, the concern now evident in his voice.

Sarah looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Sarah?...Wh…what happened?"

"I just… I don't want to get into all the details Devon…but…you should know…Chuck and I…we broke up last night." She choked out the last few words through the tears.

"What? Why?" Devon was completely taken by surprise by her admission.

Sarah shook her head. "It doesn't matter, it's for the best… you know."

"I don't understand Sarah, you guys are perfect for each other….Wait, is that why you're leaving town?"

"I just need some time away… you understand? …Please tell Ellie I said goodbye." Sarah offered him a smile before turning to walk away.

Devon just stood there dumbfounded by what he had just heard as he watched her make her way across the lobby and out the door. Ellie was going to be heartbroken over this and what about Chuck? The guy was absolutely crazy about Sarah. Poor Chuck was all he could think as he watched Sarah disappear out of sight.

Sarah darted across the parking lot of the hospital to her car. She jumped inside and pulled her key from her pocket. She hoped Devon had bought her heart broken girlfriend act. She wiped the tears from her eyes. It surprised her how quickly she was able to bring them on. Usually she had to really concentrate and work at it for a while. What surprised her even more was her inability to stop them as they continued to fall from her eyes, despite her best efforts to control them.

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><p>Sarah stared blankly out of the window of the plane. She would be landing in D.C. soon as ordered, where she would receive a new assignment, maybe even a new identity for all she knew. It didn't matter though. Whatever they threw at her, she was determined to track down Chuck. She would find a way and do whatever it took to free him. To give him his life back. No matter what the consequences.<p>

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><p>It was just before dinner time when Devon arrived home from his double shift at the hospital. He was anxious to see Ellie and tell her about his impromptu run in with Sarah earlier. Of course he would leave out the part about his grandmother's ring.<p>

He walked through the door to find Ellie sitting at the table. A blank expression on her face and a piece of paper in her hand. She was so lost in thought that she didn't even hear him come in. In fact he had called her name three times before she even noticed he was there.

"Babe what is it?" he asked coming to stand in front of her.

"He's gone." She said handing him the piece of paper.

Devon took it from her and read.

_**Ellie,**_

_**You have no idea how much it pains me to be writing this letter to you right now. My only hope is that you may one day find it in your heart to forgive me. **_

_**I know how much you care for her and you have always been our biggest supporter. It saddens me to have to tell you that Sarah and I broke up last night. It was a mutual decision on both of our parts and we have vowed to always remain friends, but it still hurts. I think we both just came to the realization that we were at different places in our lives and we wanted different things. **_

_**I am leaving town for a while, I don't know how long I'll be gone or really where I am even going. All I know is I can't be here right now. There are just too many memories. **_

_**I feel like I need some kind of change in my life. There has been too much here holding me back, and it has been for some time now. The Buy More, the safety net I have with you and Devon. I just need time to figure things out, like what I really want to do with my life, because God knows I don't want to spend the rest of it stuck behind the Nerd Herd desk at the Buy More. Maybe I'll try that whole backpacking around Europe thing for a while. **_

_**I hope you understand my decision. I'm sorry to say goodbye like this in a letter, but I know if I did it in person you would try to talk me into staying and I really just need to take this time for myself. I love you immensely. You are the best sister a guy could ask for and you know you have always been so much more than that to me. My phone has been shut off, so don't bother trying to call it. I am cutting all ties for the time being until I find some of the answers I'm seeking. I love you and I wish you and Devon all the happiness in the world.**_

_**Love,**_

_**Chuck**_

Devon turned his attention back to Ellie. "Honey I'm so sorry."

Ellie shook her head. "I can't believe he would just leave like this."

Devon wrapped his arms around her. "Clearly he's hurting Ellie. I saw Sarah earlier and she was a wreck."

"What?" Ellie looked up at him.

"Sarah was at the hospital earlier. She seemed kind of distraught so I asked her what was wrong. She told me they broke up. She was pretty upset about it. She actually started crying."

"Oh my God! Well did she say what happened?"

"She didn't want to talk about it. She did want me to tell you goodbye though."

"Goodbye?" Ellie questioned.

Devon nodded. "Yeah. I guess she was leaving town too"

"This is ridiculous! I don't understand any of this. How can Chuck just leave like this? He had to know how much it would kill me, especially after our history with our parents leaving."

"Honey he's hurting. He's not thinking straight right now."

"That's all the more reason for him to be here Devon. He needs us right now. He needs me!"

"Ellie he needs to do this for himself. Remember how long it took him to get over Jill?"

Ellie wiped at the tears making their way down her face. "God Devon, it took him over 5 years to get over her. His feelings for Sarah go far beyond anything he ever felt for Jill...How will he ever get over her?"

Devon wrapped her in his arms and pulled her closer. "I don't know Ellie. I just don't know."

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><p>Chuck laid on his bed staring up at the ceiling. The bunker was not like he had imagined, there were no padded walls nor were there bars on the windows. Actually there weren't any windows at all. The whole complex was completely underground. It reminded him a lot of Castle but much fancier. His bunker in the complex was the size of a small one bedroom apartment. He had a small kitchenette, a bathroom, living room area and the bedroom that he was currently in. The walls were all the same. White and plain. No décor of any kind. It seemed almost sterile. There were cameras in every corner of the rooms. The only room he didn't see any in was the bathroom, of course if Chuck learned anything over the past year, he learned that just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it's not there.<p>

'I can't believe I use to complain about the few cameras Sarah and Casey always had on me back in Burbank.' He thought to himself as he continued to stare at the ceiling.

It had been late last night when Chuck arrived at the bunker. He took a quick shower and tried to sleep. He was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Despite that, he still couldn't sleep. His mind kept drifting back to Sarah on that rooftop and how everything unfolded that night. Never in a million years would he have dreamed his day would have ended like that.

He looked around the room one last time, this was his life now. A life of solitude, cut off from the rest of the world. And here he thought things were bad before, having handlers tracking his every move. What he wouldn't give to have that life back right now. A single tear made its way down his cheek and he closed his eyes. Sarah's words kept running through his mind.

'Save you later.' She had said. She promised to find him, to fix this. Chuck trusted her more than anyone, but how could she possibly fix this?

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><p><strong><em>Alright so there you have chapter 2. Hope you all are still interested. I would appreciate any reviews you want to throw my way. As always, thanks for reading.<em>**


	3. Chapter 3

**So usually I'm a once a week poster, but with all the feedback I have been getting on this story, I wanted to give you a little treat. Also I think I got a message back to everyone, but I will say it again just in case i missed someone, thank you all so much for your reviews, they are what keep me going. **

**Chapter 3**

Sarah sat sipping on her latte, while she waited for her mark to join her. The café was situated right in the heart of Paris. The city of love. It overlooked the Eiffel Tower and her mind drifted back to Chuck as it usually did. On their cover dates he often spoke in great detail about his plans to travel one day. To see the world. One of the places he wanted to visit more than anything was Paris. He particularly wanted to see the Eiffel Tower. She wished he was there to share it with her.

She sighed heavily as she stared blankly into the cup in her hand. It saddened her to think about what his world must be like now. It had been over a month since he was transferred to the underground bunker. More than a month now since she had promised to find him, to save him. Unfortunately for both of them she was having no luck in that department. Everyone in the CIA was very hush hush when it came to the intersect project. Director Graham would not give her any information pertaining to Chuck or his whereabouts. He simply stated. "It was no longer her concern."

Sarah was just about the wrap up her third assignment since Chuck, after which she intended on asking for some time off. Time that she planned on devoting to her covert search for Chuck.

Sarah's cell phone vibrated shaking her from her thoughts. She sighed again when she saw who it was calling. Ellie. She called her about once a week to see if she had heard anything from Chuck and to see how she herself was holding up since their unexpected break up. She always tried to get information out of Sarah as to what really happened between her and Chuck. Sarah would simply tell her she wasn't ready to talk about it. Initially when she made up the story of their heart wrenching break up, her intention was for it to take all the focus off of Chuck, perhaps placing the blame on her for his sudden disappearance. That wasn't the case. It only ignited a whole new scenario. One of Ellie constantly checking up on her to see how she was doing and if she and Chuck had made up yet.

"Mademoiselle Chantal."

Sarah looked up from her phone to see her mark approaching the table. She smiled in response, switching over to agent mode.

"Jean Pierre." She responded in her French accent. Sarah hit the ignore feature on her phone sending Ellie's call directly to her voice mail and stood up to greet her companion.

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><p>Devon watched as his wife dropped the phone back down onto the bed. The all too familiar sad expression adorned her face once again.<p>

"Voice mail again?" he asked coming to sit down next to her. Ellie just nodded.

"Has Morgan heard anything from him?" He asked.

Ellie shook her head again. Devon wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.

"I miss him." She finally spoke.

"I know. Me too."

"I can't even tell him about our engagement. He's the only family I have and I can't even share the single most important news of my life with him." Her eyes welled with tears again.

"I know, but Chuck knew it was coming."

Ellie pulled away to look at him. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well before I asked you to marry me, I had asked Chuck for permission. He was actually hanging on to ring for me for a while."

"Really?"

Devon nodded. "He was happy for us El. Gave us his blessing."

Ellie started to tear up. "I'm so worried about him. What if something is wrong? What if he needs me?"

"He would have called Ellie."

"Devon…What if he doesn't come back?"

"Look just give him some time. The break up shook him up pretty bad. He loves you Ellie, he'll be back. I know he will."

She looked up at him with the tears in her eyes. Devon pulled her back into his arms and held her tightly, trying his best to soothe her as she cried.

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><p>Chuck crossed off another day on his pocket sized calendar and shoved it back into the drawer. 5 and half weeks had gone by and still no word from Sarah. Not even a visit. Perhaps Sarah had forgotten all about him by now. Surely she had moved on to another mission. Maybe she had a new asset to protect. She probably wasn't even in Burbank anymore.<p>

He sighed heavily as he thought about everything he was missing back home. His family, his friends. Hell even Casey and the Buy More.

Director Graham paid him weekly visits since his arrival at the underground bunker, checking in with him to see how he was doing. Every time Chuck asked about his handlers or returning home to Burbank, Graham would give him the runaround.

He had brought in a CIA physician to work with Chuck, conduct tests on him and examine him regularly. Graham told him how the CIA was working diligently on finding a way to remove the intersect from his brain, which would allow him to return home one day. For Chuck that day could not come soon enough.

A knock on his door shook him from his thoughts. Chuck made his way over to the door and opened it.

"Sabrina." He greeted the young agent. She stood before him holding a large box of items.

"Mr. Bartowski. I have those items you requested." Sabrina walked past him and entered his bunker.

"Sabrina, how many times do I have to tell you, please, call me Chuck. It's been over a month since I've heard anyone call me by my name. I'm beginning to feel pretty insignificant here." He followed her back into the bunker.

"Sorry…Chuck." She made sure to throw in his name as she set the box down on the nearby table.

Chuck fingered through the box of items. Several new comic books, dvds, more video games, he took a mental note.

"Where's the newspapers?" he asked.

"Chuck, you know they won't let you have the papers."

"I don't understand. What is the big deal about me reading a newspaper? You know it would be nice to know the date and something real that may be happening in the world. They keep giving me the video games, the comics. It's like they want to keep me in this fantasy world."

"Chuck."

"Look I get that they want to keep me hidden from the rest of the world, but why do they have to the keep the world hidden from me? It's just a damn newspaper." Chuck was raising his voice at this point. He was taken aback by the look on her face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell…I just…I'm going crazy in here."

"It's okay, I understand. I know this has been difficult for you. Did you want to go out later? I can set up an escort." She asked.

"What's the point? Going out isn't really going out now is it? It's nothing more than a stroll through an underground base with a babysitter that never leaves my side."

"I can talk to them; maybe see if they can ease up a bit. Maybe even get you outside for a while."

"Really?"

"I'll see what I can do. No promises though."

Chuck nodded as he walked Sabrina back to the door.

"Sabrina?" She turned to look at him. "Did you ask about the phone call?"

She sighed as she met his eyes with hers. "They said no Chuck. They can't risk it."

"Well what if I called one of my old handlers? How's that going to put me at risk, they saved my life on a daily basis they would never intentionally put me in harm's way. I just…I just want to hear a familiar voice."

"Chuck Fulcrum could easily tap into one of their lines, especially Agent Walker given her CIA affiliation. It's too risky… I'm sorry."

Chuck's face fell to the floor, he figured the answer was going to be no but he was secretly holding out hope that the CIA may allow him one phone call considering all her had done for the country. So much for that.

"If you need anything Chuck, just pick up the line."

Chuck nodded and closed the door behind her. Frustrated, he made his way back over to the table and grabbed a new comic from the box she brought and made his way over to the couch with it.

* * *

><p>"Director, the mark has been apprehended and the drug cartel shut down. I'd like to take some time off before my next mission. I'm feeling a little burnt out, I could really use a vacation." Sarah pleaded with Graham over the phone.<p>

"I suppose the CIA could get by without you a while. Take two weeks, but come back ready to work."

"Thank you Director." With that Sarah hung up ending the conversation. A smile spread across her face. She had two weeks to find him. Two weeks to save him.

Sarah made her way through the busy airport and up to the counter. "Un billet aller à Seattle, Washington s'il vous plaît." (a one way ticket to Seattle, Washington please.)

The man behind the counter quickly processed her request and within minutes was handing her the ticket. "Avoir un voyage agréable." (Have a nice trip) he said to her with a smile.

"Merci." (Thank you.) she replied gathering her belongings and stepping away from the counter and out the line.

An old CIA colleague owed Sarah a huge favor for saving his life 3 years ago in an arms deal gone awry in Jakarta. He had done some digging around and had heard rumors of the agency acquiring a human intersect. That he was laying low in a bunker just North of Seattle. It was the only lead Sarah had so she hoped that it panned out for her.

* * *

><p>"General, to what do I owe this honor?" Casey addressed General Beckman on the small portable screen set up in his desert barracks, which in all reality was nothing more than a large tent.<p>

"Major, you're being called back I'm afraid."

"What?" he questioned.

"I'm calling you back for additional work on the intersect project, there have been some new developments."

Casey was surprised to hear this. "What happen? Is the asset in danger?"

"Major, we believe Bartowski is in great danger."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Alright so there you have chapter 3, hope you enjoyed it. I would love to hear your thoughts on this, so if you can take a minute to leave a review it would be much appreciated. Thanks for reading.<strong>_


	4. Chapter 4

_**First off I want to thank you all for your continued support with this story and for all of the reviews and private messages you have been leaving, they mean a lot to me and I truly appreciate every single one of them.**_

_**On to the chapter. First thing I want to mention is Sarah's destination is completely fictional. If this place does in fact exist I am an unaware of it. Hopefully this chapter will answer some more of your questions. It's a bit longer than the first three, but still a bit shorter than my usual chapters are. For some reason with this story they have ended up being much shorter than what I usually write. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.**_

**Chapter 4**

It was early in the morning when Sarah finally landed in Seattle. She grabbed a quick bite to eat at the airport and within no time was speeding away in her rental car. With the Intel she had received from her CIA contact and the directions she had, it took her about an hour to get to Falls Port, Washington. It was a small rural area, that didn't have much to offer.

Sarah drove through the small town. Nothing more than a little mom and pop shop, some houses, a park, a gas station a diner and a lot of country roads leading out of it.

Her directions led her down a narrow back road. She pulled off to the side of the road and decided to go it on foot, so as not to attract attention to herself. She parked the car out of view, hidden behind trees and thick bushes. It was a heavily wooded area, but from what she could tell, it hadn't always been that way. The majority of the trees looked newer and the landscaping seemed to be man-made, not the natural kind you would find in the woods.

About a mile or so down the road, she finally came to an old, what appeared to be non-functioning electronics shop. An odd find for the area, but then again she had a strong feeling that the wooded area had been built around it. She had to laugh at the irony of it all. Of all things, an electronics shop?

Sarah took note of a few vehicles surrounding the building. She saw one undercover agent standing guard on what seemed to be the main entrance facing her. After doing a sweep of the perimeter she saw only one other undercover agent standing outside a back entrance. Of course Sarah had no idea what waited for her inside. That is if she could even manage to get inside. She ducked down behind some trees lining the complex, and observed a little bit longer while she tried to devise a plan for getting inside.

Sarah's breath caught in her throat when she felt the hard barrel of a gun pressed into the back of her head. She immediately raised her hands up in defeat while she cursed under her breath. "On your feet." Came the deep voice from behind her.

Sarah slowly stood up, her hands still raised.

"Turn around." The voice ordered once she was standing upright.

Sarah slowly turned around to face her captor.

"Casey?" she questioned when her eyes met his.

"Walker?" Casey chuckled "I should have known." He said lowering his gun.

"Casey what the hell are you doing here?" she asked.

"I would imagine the same thing you are. I'm here for Bartowski."

* * *

><p>Chuck was just getting out of the shower when his phone began to ring. His bunker phone only connected with the control room in the secret complex. If Chuck needed something all he had to do was pick it up and he would be patched through to on call personnel. And if they needed to talk to him they could call him directly on it.<p>

Chuck wrapped his towel securely around his waist and emerged from the bathroom. He made his way over to the phone and picked it up.

"Yeah?" he greeted the caller. "Really?...No…..I can be ready in 10 minutes….okay."

Chuck hung up the phone. It took long enough, but it looked like Sabrina actually came through. They were going to take him outside the complex. Chuck rushed back to the bathroom. He quickly toweled off and began to dress. He was as excited as a child on Christmas morning. He had told them 10 minutes, but he was ready in less than two. He sat down on his couch and waited with anticipation for his escorts to arrive.

* * *

><p>"Beckman sent me to extract Chuck. She believes he's in danger." Casey explained as the two squatted down by the trees overlooking the complex.<p>

"What kind of danger Casey? And how come Graham didn't tell me any of this?"

"Look Walker, I know you are here on your own, so I will tell you this much. Beckman received some Intel linking Graham to Fulcrum."

"What? How is that? He has been working with us on the intersect project since the beginning. If he was with Fulcrum, why didn't he just bring Chuck in to begin with, or worse have him killed? Why the façade?"

"I don't know. Maybe he only recently became linked to Fulcrum, maybe it was part of his plan the whole time. It would give him the opportunity to see how exactly the intersect works, what its weaknesses are, what Chuck's weaknesses are. There's no telling what he may have in store for Chuck but I need to get him out of there before it's too late."

"No Casey. WE need to get him out of there. I came here for Chuck and I'm not leaving without him."

Casey grunted. "Fine. But you cannot breathe a word of this to any of your CIA contacts. If Graham gets wind of this, we're as good as dead. Our first objective is securing the asset, then we go after Graham."

"I can't believe we are doing this. Going after the director of the CIA. You better be right about this Casey."

Casey swallowed hard. "Yeah." He knew the consequences would be severe if Beckman was in fact wrong about this.

Sarah and Casey were hashing out some plans when Sarah noticed some movement out of the corner of her eye. She swatted Casey on the arm directing his attention to the compound. They watched intently as an agent exited and then she saw him, followed by a second agent.

"Chuck!" her breath caught in her throat. She hadn't seen him in over a month and the sight of him now was causing her heart to pound in her chest. She felt such a rush of adrenaline, much like the one she experienced when she had chased him and Longshore to that rooftop hoping to stop them. What a major disappointment that had been. She refused to let this mission end like that one had.

Casey and Sarah watched to two agents escort Chuck to a black SUV with tinted windows.

"Come on." Casey said. "I'm parked close by, we can tail them."

Sarah nodded. Casey quickly led her to his van. They jumped inside and Casey sped off in the direction the SUV had gone.

* * *

><p>They didn't travel far before coming to a stop. Sarah recognized the park she had passed on her way through town earlier in the day.<p>

Casey pulled off the road, a good distance behind their vehicle. He and Sarah watched as the agents and Chuck exited the SUV and headed towards the park.

"What are they doing?" Sarah asked.

"I don't know." Casey turned the van off. "We better check it out… Here." Casey handed Sarah a tranq gun.

"A tranq gun? That's not really your style Casey."

"Yeah well, we need to keep a low profile here. I don't think loud gunshots in the park are the way to do that. Here. Take this ear piece, so we can split up."

Sarah placed the device in her ear and tucked the gun in the back of her pants hidden from view by her black leather jacket.

Sarah and Casey exited the van and followed Chuck and the agents a safe distance away as they made their way into the park.

It was a fairly large park considering it was such a small town. Looking around, you could see young children playing, their parents looking on. Others were out for their daily jog or a peaceful stroll with their dogs.

After what appeared to be a detailed conversation with Chuck, the two agents who were sporting everyday attire to blend in, split up. One headed to one side of the park while the other went to the opposite side. They both took a seat on park benches and watched Chuck through their dark sunglasses as he made his way over to the small pond.

The pond had a wooden bridge that stretched across from one side to the other. Chuck made his way to the middle of it and leaned on the railing, using it to support his upper body as he glanced down at the water. He counted at least 12 ducks and had to smile when he saw the small family of ducklings headed in his direction. It felt good to be out of the bunker. To actually be breathing in real fresh air. To see people going about their lives. He wished he could be a part of it, If only he could figure out a way to ditch his guards. He knew they were watching him intently. He could almost feel their eyes burning a hole in his back.

Sarah and Casey had taken opposite sides of the park. Casey was coming up behind one of the CIA agents, while Sarah made her way towards the other.

"Alright Casey, I'm in position." She spoke into her mic.

"Do you have a clear shot?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"Okay on the count of three, we go together. Two shots in the back. They will be out for at least 40 minutes. With the sunglasses they're wearing, no one will even realize. Then I'll go in and grab Chuck and we'll meet back up at the van."

"No!"

"What? What do you mean no? You wanted in on this, you follow my orders Walker."

"No, I just mean…Let me go in after him…Casey I promised him."

She could hear him grumbling over her ear piece.

"Fine. Whatever, just make sure you get him. Don't mess this up Walker."

Sarah rolled her eyes at his comment.

"Ready?" he finally asked once he was done with his ranting.

"Yeah." She replied.

"On three. One…two….three." Both Casey and Sarah fired their shots, hitting their targets precisely where they intended to. Both agents slumped slightly. One cocked their head to the side, while the other's head tipped back slightly. Both changes barely noticeably to the eye of the average bystander.

"Alright Walker, move in."

Sarah tucked her gun back in her pants and swallowed hard. This was it. She slowly made her way through the park, her eyes set on her former asset. She felt like everything was moving in slow motion. She didn't know how her presence would be received. Would he be mad at her? Mad that it had taken her so long to come for him. Would it be emotional? Chuck was a pretty emotional guy there was no telling what his reaction would be. Who knew what kind of frame of mind he was in? And if he was in fact in danger, who knows what the CIA has been doing to him over the past month.

As she approached the wooden bridge she stopped. She released a heavy sigh. He stood a mere 15 feet away from her.

"Move it along Walker, we're on a schedule here." Casey spoke over her ear piece.

Sarah once again rolled her eyes and started over the bridge.

Chuck seemed to be in his own little world as he gazed out at the water. He didn't notice when she came to stand beside him. She leaned over the railing, imitating his actions and looked out at the water in front of her. He didn't acknowledge her. Either he was so lost in thought that he didn't notice anyone there, or he simply didn't care.

"Come here often?" she finally spoke.

The words shook Chuck from his thoughts. He gave his own head a shake. Now he was hearing things. He could have sworn the woman beside him sounded just like Sarah.

He turned his head slightly to face her and the look of shock that came over him nearly caused Sarah to laugh.

"Sarah?" he stood upright turning to face her completely. She did the same. "Oh my God! Is it…Is it really you?" his voice softened at the last few words.

Sarah smiled as she nodded her head.

Chuck looked around for his escorts. He saw them still sitting on the park benches, their gaze appeared to be on him.

"Sarah…you have to…they'll see you." He spoke frantically.

"Chuck, it's okay. We tranqed them."

"We?" he questioned.

"Casey and I."

"Casey's here too?" Chuck looked around the perimeter of the park but didn't see any signs of his former handler.

She nodded.

Chuck smiled as he took everything in. Sarah and Casey had come for him. And then without any warning Chuck pulled Sarah in for a hug. "I didn't think you would come. I didn't think I would ever see you again. Anyone for that matter." Sarah wrapped her arms around him and reciprocated the hug.

"I told you I'd come Chuck." She replied.

"Enough with the lady feelings Walker. Move him out." Casey's voice came over her earpiece again.

Sarah broke the hug. "Come on Chuck, we have to go now!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him in her direction. They made their way through the park at a quick pace.

"I'll start the van Walker, meet me there." Casey spoke once more.

"Got it Casey." She replied into her mic.

Chuck and Sarah continued their trek through the park. Just as they made it to the entrance of the park, Sarah stopped them in their tracks.

"Dammitt!"

"What?" Chuck questioned.

Sarah pulled Chuck toward the nearby bushes. The two ducked down behind them. Sarah gestured to the scene unfolding in front of them. Casey was being led to the black SUV that Chuck and the agents had arrived in, by another agent who held a gun to his back. They had failed to notice the third agent who had actually driven the SUV when it left the complex. They were so caught up in seeing Chuck that they hadn't really paid any attention to who was driving the vehicle.

Chuck and Sarah watched and waited until the SUV had sped off.

"Sarah, they have Casey, we have to save him." Chuck finally spoke up.

"Chuck, my first priority is getting you out of here. The complex is pretty close; it won't be long before they have every agent in the state out her looking for you." Sarah stood up and pulled Chuck with her. "Come on Chuck. We have to go."

Chuck and Sarah made it back to the van in record time. Sarah jumped behind the wheel and in no time they were headed towards the highway.

"Sarah how are we going to save Casey?" Chuck asked.

"I don't know yet. Once we get you someplace safe, maybe I'll try to get in touch with Beckman."

"What? Beckman? Sarah she's one of the one's that had me brought in."

"Chuck she's the one that sent Casey for you."

"What?"

"Look there's a lot you don't know about."

"Like what?...Sarah what aren't you telling me?"

Sarah turned her gaze towards him. He looked extremely uneasy and worried. "Look, according to Casey, Beckman received some Intel linking Graham to Fulcrum."

"What? I don't understand. How can that be Sarah?"

"We're trying to figure that all out. Has Graham been in contact with you since they took you in?"

"Yeah. He usually stops in once a week to check on me."

"To check on you?"

"Yeah. Usually only stays about 10 minutes or so."

"How exactly does he check on you Chuck? Have they been doing any testing on you or anything unusual?"

"No. It's usually just him asking me how I'm doing, if I'm flashing at all, that kind of thing."

"And are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Flashing?"

"Not since I arrived at the complex. There hasn't been anything to flash on. Which is another thing I don't understand."

"What?"

"Well if Graham is a part of this, why haven't I flashed on him?"

"I don't know Chuck. This is all new information to us. None of it makes sense."

"Graham has had me meeting with a doctor a couple times a week. Said he is working on something to extract the intersect."

Sarah's expression changed. She looked worried. "Chuck has this doctor done any testing or any procedures on you?" she asked.

"No not yet, we usually just talk. Sometimes he examines me, He did do a cat scan once and he tried hypno-therapy a couple times."

"Hypno-Therapy?"

"Yeah, you know like hyonosis. He put me under a few times, but I don't remember anything. He said nothing came out of it."

Sarah looked worried again. Who knows what they had done to him. Anything could have happened to him under hypnosis and he wouldn't even know it.

"Anything else?" She asked trying not to sound concerned.

"No, that's it. Why are you doing this Sarah? You're going against the CIA by helping me, you're risking your career, your life. Why do all that for me?"

"Chuck, you're my friend okay. I don't have many so it's probably best I hang on to the few I do have. Besides, I made a promise to you." She offered him a smile and wink of the eye before turning her full attention back to the road.

Chuck smiled as his own focus shifted to the road in front of them.

"I missed you Sarah."

Her smile grew as she stared straight ahead. "I missed you too Chuck."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Well did this answer some questions or just create more questions? Hope you all are still reading it and are still interested. <strong>_

_**Also please keep in mind I am not at all familiar with the CIA or NSA or any of that stuff, so what I write about them please take with a grain of salt. I'm sure that a lot of what I write that pertains to those parts of the story is completely unrealistic, far-fetched or just downright ridiculous. I try my best to make it all sound plausible, so hopefully you readers will take it for what it is. Anyway, enough of that. I look forward to any reviews you want to throw my way.**_

_**Oh and on a side note, I recently started a twitter account if anyone is interested in my twitter name and wants to follow me, let me know and I'll give it to you, it is not the same screen name I use here.**_

_**Thanks for reading.**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Hope everyone is still enjoying this, there wasn't as much response to the last chapter, so I'm not sure if the boards have just been slow or the readers have lost interest. For all of those who left feedback, thanks you so much, I truly appreciate every single review and they are a huge motivator when it comes to writing. That said, here is chapter 5. There's not much really to say about it, I think it's pretty self-explanatory. Hope you all enjoy. **

**Chapter 5**

Sarah could feel his eyes on her. He had been watching her for a good ten minutes now but didn't say a word. Neither did she. Finally she couldn't take it anymore; it was making her feel self-conscious. She turned to meet his eyes.

"What?" she asked.

"What?" he asked.

"Chuck you've been staring at me for the last ten minutes."

He smiled and turned away embarrassed. She gave him a questioning look.

"Sorry….I just…Today's the first day in almost 6 weeks that I've seen anything outside the four walls of a bunker and…well….I can't think of anything I would rather look at."

This caused Sarah to blush, she let go of the steering wheel with her right hand and gave him a playful swat in the arm.

"Oww!" he feigned being hurt and rubbed his arm. They both laughed.

"So, where are we headed anyway?" he asked becoming serious again.

Sarah sighed. "Well. I thought the best thing to do would be to head north, cross the border into Canada, but without a passport for you that will be quite difficult and we don't want to draw any more attention to ourselves than we have to, so I think we'll head south, or maybe east, it'll give us more options in the long run."

Chuck remained silent and just nodded in agreement.

The two drove for another five minutes before coming in to a town.

"We need to stop for some supplies and I think it's time for us to change vehicles." Sarah announced.

She pulled into the parking lot of a small shopping complex, which housed a large department store, a couple of fast food chains a shoe store, a liquor store and a couple smaller shops.

"Let's make this quick Chuck." She said as the two exited the van and made their way towards the department store. Sarah had been so caught up in the idea of saving Chuck, she had failed to think about the mission going awry and that they might in the long run be needing additional supplies. She wanted to kick herself for that now.

It took them about 20 minutes inside. They picked up some clothing items for both of them, some personal items like toothbrushes, shampoos and such along with some random snack food items for the drive and Sarah grabbed some first aid supplies, just in case she had said, which caused Chuck to frown. Chuck ran into one of the fast food chains and grabbed some burgers and fries while Sarah stood outside the door scoping the parking lot for a new ride while keeping a watchful eye on Chuck from outside at the same time.

Moments later, Chuck emerged with his hands full. He had two bags in one hand while he balanced a drink carrier with a couple of sodas in the other.

"Chuck, how much food did you get?" Sarah asked, taking note of the items in his hand.

"Not that much."

Sarah gave him a questioning look.

Chuck laughed. "What? I'm starving. All this on the run stuff makes me hungry."

Sarah just smirked at him. "Okay, come on, I think I found a good one." She said leading him across the parking lot until they came to a blue Taurus. Sarah was about to pick the lock on the driver's side when Chuck stopped her.

"Sarah no! You can't!" He exclaimed.

"What? Why?" She asked confused.

Chuck pointed to the backseat. There was an infant car seat and a toddler's booster seat.

"They have kids Sarah. What if the kids are with them? We can't steal their vehicle and leaved them stranded here."

It took Sarah a minute to comprehend what Chuck was saying, she was so thrown off by it. Never had she made a choice to choose one vehicle over another because the owner might have children with them. She had to admire him for thinking like that though. She knew stealing a vehicle was not something Chuck would normally ever be a part of so to make it easier on him she obliged his request.

"Okay Chuck." She replied and led him to her second choice. A nearby black Civic. She quickly looked in the back seat and found it void of any car seats. It took her less than 30 seconds to jimmy the lock. Chuck and Sarah jumped inside and loaded their belongings. Within a minute Sarah had the car started and the two were off once again.

* * *

><p>Casey sat in the holding cell waiting for his captors to show their face again. The CIA agent had brought him back to the compound they had been keeping Chuck at. He overheard a few of the agents talking about the intersect going missing and his CIA escorts being tranqued. He had overheard them send out Chuck's description to all available operatives in the vicinity, but didn't hear any mention of Sarah. From the sounds of it, they didn't see her and had no idea she was involved with any of this.<p>

Casey looked up when the door to the holding cell opened and in walked Director Graham of the CIA.

"Major Casey. To what do I owe this honor?" He asked.

"That's what I'd like to know. Why did your agent bring me in?"

"That's a good question Major, but I think you know the answer already. So maybe you can answer my question. Where is Bartowski?"

"How would I know? Bartowski is no longer my concern. That mission is over. Remember?" Casey retorted.

"Major Casey, you were discovered by one of my operatives lurking around the park where the intersect was visiting this morning. Two of my agents were tranqued. Now what do you suppose the coincidence is of you being found so close by and with a tranq gun on hand no less?"

"I never go anywhere without a gun, you should know that, so I wouldn't say the odds are that much against me."

Graham smirked at him. "Is that how we're going to play this?" He asked. "Perhaps I should get your General Beckman on the phone."

"Perhaps you should." Casey replied.

Graham huffed at his remark. "You know there are lots of way of making you talk. Is that all you have to say Major?"

"Pretty much."

"Very well then." Graham made his way towards the door. He walked out and closed it behind him, leaving Casey to himself once again.

* * *

><p>General Diane Beckman sat behind her desk going over her recent reports. She was having a hard time concentrating not knowing the status of Casey's mission. It was an extremely risky one and according to her calculations, he should have checked in with her by now.<p>

Her thoughts were interrupted when the phone on her desk rang.

"What is it Robbins? This better be important." She barked into the phone.

"General, I have Director Graham on a conference call. Shall I patch him through?" Came the voice on the other end of the phone.

Beckman was caught off guard. Why would Graham be calling her? He immediate thought was he was on to the NSA. He knew they knew of his connection. Beckman swallowed hard before answering.

"Yes Robbins, patch him through." She replied.

The monitor in front of Beckman came to life and there before her was Director Graham.

"Director. I have to say I am surprised to hear from you."

"General. I hope I'm not interrupting." He replied.

"No, I take it its important if you are calling me."

"It is. I have something of yours." The image on the screen split. One half of the screen remained fixated on him while the other side was surveillance footage of Casey in the holding cell.

"Is that…Major Casey?" She asked. Leaning closer she squinted at the image on the screen.

"It is. It seems that today while the intersect was out in the community with a couple of my agents, they were targeted. My operatives were tranqued from behind and the intersect has fled. Major Casey was discovered lurking nearby by one on my agents."

"What are you implying Graham?"

"I'm saying that I think it's a little more than coincidence that your agent was found so close by and my intersect is missing."

"Your intersect? I think you mean the government's intersect."

Graham frowned in response.

"And you think that Casey had something to do with it? That the NSA is responsible for your men losing the intersect?" Beckman continued.

"That's exactly what I think." He shot back at her.

"Director, perhaps, handing the intersect's protection over to the CIA was a mistake. Clearly your organization is not equipped to handle the responsibility of securing the most important piece of intelligence the United States has."

"We are perfectly equipped to handle the intersect. We didn't plan on a supposed ally striking and taking us by surprise." He shot back at her.

Beckman frowned at his words. "I can assure you Director, the NSA does not have the intersect. If Major Casey was involved with the assets disappearance, then it was a rogue mission on his part. Has he been questioned?" she asked.

"He's not talking. Not that I expected he would. We could start torturing him, but your agent here and my Agent Walker did some good work together over the past year on this project, I figured I would give him the benefit of the doubt and talk to you first."

"Very well Director. I'll send a team to retract Major Casey; perhaps the NSA's methods of questioning will have more of an impact on him. Just tell me where he is being held and I'll have a team there in no time."

Graham hesitated. He didn't want Beckman knowing their secret location.

"I have a better idea Diane. We can arrange for extraction at Seattle- Tacoma International."

"Very well, I can have a team at Sea-Tac within the hour. Meanwhile I can form a team to track down the intersect."

"That won't be necessary General, the less people that know about this the better."

"The hell it won't be necessary. The NSA isn't about to lose the government's most important asset because the CIA failed to do their job."

"General I would watch it with the accusations; you do know who you are speaking to don't you?"

"Yes Director, I know exactly who I am speaking to and I am done. My team will be there for Casey within the hour."

"General, know that I am releasing him back into your custody as an act of good faith. I trust your organization will see to it that he takes account for his actions. I expect answers from him. The intersect is out there. I don't know who has him or if he's on his own, but it's not safe we need him secure."

"I understand Director. I'll be in touch." The two disconnected their call. Beckman sat back in her seat and breathed a sigh of relief. Graham seemed to be convinced for now that the NSA was not to blame for the intersect's disappearance, Casey on the other hand was another story. She was concerned though, Casey had been captured and Chuck was gone, which had to mean to Chuck was out there somewhere on his own and if that was the case, she was very worried. What worried her even more was the idea that someone else might have him.

* * *

><p>Chuck and Sarah had been back on the road for hours now. He glanced over at her from the passenger seat. He watched her as she stretched her one arm and rolled her neck from side to side. She yawned.<p>

"Sarah, you've been driving for nearly 4 hours now, you seem pretty tired. I can drive for a while if you want." He offered.

Sarah glanced at the clock on the dashboard. It was just past 6:30 in the evening. "It's okay Chuck, we're almost there."

"Almost where?" he asked.

"Our destination for the night." Sarah gestured towards the approaching sign with her eyes. Chuck turned his attention to the side of the road and read the sign for himself. Portland 6 miles.

"Portland?" he asked.

"Well, actually just outside of Portland. There's an old safe house I used to know about in the area. Assuming its empty, we can stay there for the night. We should stop and grab some dinner in town first. What do you feel like?"

"Doesn't matter. Anything taste good compared to what they were feeding me at the compound."

Sarah smirked. "Alright, well we can just grab something quick once we get to town."

"Sounds good, I could definitely eat."

Sarah looked at him and smiled. She shook her head.

"What?" he asked.

"I'm just surprised is all. You plowed three cheeseburgers and a large fry three hours ago."

"What? I was hungry. Besides they were good, and those cheesburgers were small. I told you the CIA has not been feeding me well. I'm a growing boy." He flashed her his infamous Bartowski eyebrow dance and she laughed.

"Well you're definitely growing Chuck, you must have put on a good 10 pounds since I've seen you last. Surprising for someone who says they haven't been fed well." She eyed him up and down.

"It's all muscle Agent Walker. I've been working out."

"Working out?"

"Yeah, the gym is like the one place they let me go inside the compound outside my bunker. I've been lifting weights, running on the treadmill, hitting the heavy bag."

"Really?" she sounded impressed.

"Yup, turns out it's a good form of release. This may come as a surprise to you, but it can get pretty frustrating being stuck inside a bunker all day long."

"I can imagine." Her voice softened. "I'm sorry it took me so long to come for you. Graham kept me busy with missions and everyone in the agency has been so hush hush about your whereabouts. I was beginning to doubt I would ever find you. It took a lot of digging on my part to find out where they were even keeping you."

"But you did Sarah. You found me and you saved me. I can't thank you enough for that. I just...I don't want to see you get in any trouble for helping me."

"Chuck, don't worry. I'm a big girl; I know what I'm doing."

He offered her a half smile before they turned their attention back to the road in front of them.

* * *

><p>Beckman's agents arrived promptly to retrieve Casey. Once they were boarded on their private NSA jet and airborne, Beckman appeared on the TV monitor.<p>

"John what the hell happened?" She demanded.

"General, two agents were taken out, we never saw the third."

"Do you know where Bartowski is?"

"No." Casey looked down at the ground in defeat.

"Wait! What do you mean we? This was a solo mission Major, So who is the "we" you are referring to?"

Casey grimaced; he didn't mean to bring Sarah into this.

"Major Casey? I want an answer." She spoke up again.

Casey looked back up to the monitor. "Agent Walker." He finally replied.

"What? So the CIA is in on this? It must be part of Graham's plan." She theorized.

"No. General…Agent Walker was their on her own. She was there to save Chuck."

"To save him? So she knew he was in danger? She found out about Graham's involvement?"

"No General."

"Major, I don't understand. If she didn't know he was in danger, then what was she there to save him from?"

"From life in a bunker General." He replied.

"What?" Beckman couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"When Walker and I became Chuck's handlers she promised him she would keep him safe. She promised him it would never come to him having to go underground. She wanted to save him from all that."

Beckman stared blankly at Casey through the monitor.

"She went rogue?" Beckman asked.

Casey remained silent and looked back to the ground.

"Major?"

"No General, She's not rogue. I enlisted her help. Bartowski was our assignment, Walker knows him better than anyone, I needed her help."

Beckman looked at him disapprovingly. "Major Casey, has Agent Walker been compromised when it comes to the asset?"

Casey was silent again.

"Major, I want an answer."

"I don't know. They're friends. I don't think it goes beyond that, but I don't know."

"So, you believe that Agent Walker has Bartowski?"

"I believe she does." He responded.

Beckman breathed a sigh of relief. At least with Sarah she knew Chuck was in good hands.

"Let's hope so. You need to find them and bring them in before the CIA does. If they get to them first, it will be the end for Bartowski and Agent Walker."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Alright, so Chuck and S<strong>__**arah are on the run and….Casey is going to help them?...Per Beckman's orders no less?...Shocking? **_

_**I'm trying to get as much Charah fluff in as possible but I want it to be character appropriate for season 1 because Chuck and Sarah were in completely different places than where they are at now, so I really have to take a few step back to write it. Be patient it's building up slowly. Anyway thanks for reading and as always I appreciate and look forward to any reviews you want to throw my way.**_


	6. Chapter 6

**I just wanted to thank you all for your wonderful comments and reviews. I really appreciate them. So onto Chapter 6. Not too much to say I think it's all pretty self explanatory. Hope you like it.**

**Chapter 6**

Chuck and Sarah arrived at the safe house just before dark. Sarah had scoped it our carefully making sure it was unoccupied before they entered. It was a small three room cabin, consisting of the main room which contained a full size bed and a few other furnishings, a small kitchenette off to the right and a bathroom. The cabin was located about a mile and a half off the main highway, situated at the end of a seasonal road and out of the public eye.

Once Sarah gave the go ahead, Chuck began carrying in their bags along with a pizza they had picked up in town, while Sarah stayed back at the car. Sarah retrieved her black duffel bag from the back seat and rummaged through it. She grabbed a few items and made her way to the back of the car. Chuck watched her from the cabin window unsure as to what exactly she was doing until he watched her make her way to the front of the car. He saw her remove the license place and replaced it with another one that she had pulled out of her bag. Once she was finished she picked up her bag and headed inside the cabin.

Chuck was still standing in the window when she came through the door.

"Do spies always carry around spare license plates?" he asked matter of factly.

Sarah smiled. "Only the good ones." She replied, closing the door behind her.

She moved further into the cabin, taking note of the small quarters.

"Sorry it's not much." She said gesturing to the room they stood in. "And there's just the one bed."

Chuck smiled. His focus stuck on the bed in the middle of the room. "That's okay. It's already got a leg up on my former accommodations."

"How so?" Sarah asked.

"Well, you're here." He replied. Sarah smiled. Taken by surprise, she averted his gaze. Chuck immediately felt a rush of embarrassment and awkwardness come over him and when she looked away he immediately regretted his remarks.

Sarah could see he was uneasy so she didn't play too much into his comment. She grabbed her shopping bag from earlier and headed towards the bathroom. "I'm going to take a quick shower. Can you lock that door?" She asked.

"Huh? Oh yeah sure." He said just as she shut the bathroom door. Chuck made his way to the front door of the cabin and secured the two locks on it.

Chuck had taken a few minutes to familiarize himself with his surroundings. He was going through their bags when he heard Sarah's phone ringing. He quickly went over to where she had set it down and picked it up. The screen flashed with Casey's name.

"Ummm Sarah!...Sarah!' He made his way over to the bathroom door.

Sarah quickly fumbled around to find a towel. She wrapped the smaller than she would have liked piece of material around her as quickly as possible and rushed to the door.

"Chuck?" She was ready to attack if need be. The door flung open and Chuck stood before her speechless, her phone in his hand and his jaw on the floor as he took in her appearance.

"Are you okay?" she asked the worry more than evident in her voice.

"Huh?...oh….yeah…I just…" He rambled.

"Chuck what is it?"

He handed her the phone. "Your phone was ringing."

She looked at him in disbelief. "Chuck, I thought you were being attacked or something." She breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry, it's just…It was Casey."

"Casey?" Sarah looked down at her phone at the missed call. "He left a message." She punched in a few numbers and held the phone up to her ear while she listened to the message. Her attention turned to Chuck who was having a hard time averting his eyes as she stood before him dripping wet with nothing but the cheap cotton material that barely concealed anything between them. Sarah finally realizing how she must look, stepped back inside the bathroom and closed the door while she finished listening to her message.

Chuck just stood there for a minute dumbfounded. Perhaps he was going have to take his own shower when Sarah was done. Preferably a cold one.

* * *

><p>A few minutes later Chuck had finally gotten himself together when Sarah came out of the bathroom wearing a tank top and a pair of shorts. She didn't look directly at Chuck as she made her way out into the main room. She rummaged through another one of their bags and found the hairbrush she was looking for and began brushing her hair. Chuck remained silent.<p>

"So Casey left me a message."

"How? Did he get away from the CIA agents?"

"Apparently Graham called Beckman and she had a team extract him. The CIA doesn't know of my involvement in your escape yet, so that is a good thing. They won't be looking for a couple."

'A couple' the words peaked his attention. If only. There was nothing he wanted more than to be a real couple with Sarah.

"Casey told me not to contact anyone, there is no telling who can be trusted at this point. We need to try to lay low for a while. The CIA is going to expect you to head back to L.A. so we are going to need to map out a new plan. Casey will help us along the way until it's safe to bring you home. I do need to get a new phone though. I can't be contacting him or anyone for that matter on this one, It's too easy to track. He left me a secure number I can contact him at."

Chuck didn't say much, he just nodded in acknowledgement of what she was saying.

"You okay?" She asked. "You're awfully quiet."

"Yeah, I just…I just can't believe you and Casey are doing all this for me."

"Chuck, like I said, you're our friend, we care about you. And even though he never shows it, don't let that fool you, Casey cares about you too."

Chuck smiled. He looked like he was about to say something deep which didn't go unnoticed by Sarah.

"So how about that pizza?" Sarah spoke up trying to change the topic before he even had a chance to start it.

"Yeah... Sounds good." He replied.

Sarah finished brushing her hair and made her way over to the bed and sat down in the middle of it with her legs crossed. Chuck grabbed the pizza box and joined her.

It didn't take Chuck long to dive into the pizza. Sarah watched him with a smile on her face. She had to laugh, you would have thought Chuck had been starved for days the way he plowed his first slice. He only stopped when he saw her staring.

"What?"

Sarah just shook her head and smiled before taking a bite of her own slice of pizza.

"I'm hungry." He tried to defend himself which only elicited a small laugh from Sarah.

The two finished their dinner while making small talk. Sarah couldn't help but notice Chuck seemed pretty quiet, which was out of the ordinary for him.

"Something wrong?" She questioned him.

"No…no, I was just thinking is all."

"About?"

"Sarah, when I left with Longshore…Well what did you tell Ellie? Does she think I'm dead?"

Sarah removed the pizza box from between them on the bed and set it down on the floor. "No Chuck. She doesn't think you're dead."

She could hear him breathe a sigh of relief. "Well, what does she think?" he finally asked.

"I left her a letter from you basically saying that we broke up and that you wanted to get out of town for a while to clear your head that kind of thing."

"And she bought it?"

Sarah nodded her head. "She calls me at least once a week to see if I heard from you and to see how I'm doing with the break up and all."

"Really?"

Sarah nodded again.

"Well…do you think that maybe I could call her….you know just to let her know I'm okay?"

"Chuck we need to be very careful right now. With you being on the lam the CIA could be watching her, expecting you to contact her. You don't want to put her in danger."

"No….no of course not. I just…well I just really wanted to hear her voice."

"I'm sorry Chuck. I know this has to be really hard for you." Sarah gave him a sympathetic look. Her heart broke for him. He had really been through the ringer in the past month and she wished there was something more she could do.

"Yeah." He replied.

"Is there something else I can do?" she asked and waited for his response.

"Sarah?" He met her eyes with his.

"Yeah?"

"Wanna play cards?" Chuck pulled a new deck of cards from his pocket that he had picked up at the store earlier in the day.

Sarah laughed. "Sure."

* * *

><p>Casey had arrived back in Burbank a few hours ago, he was settling back into his old apartment for the night. He had just finished setting up some of his spy related equipment when the monitor came to life and Beckman appeared before him.<p>

"Major, I take it you are settling back in nicely?" She asked.

"It's like I never left." He replied.

"Good. Were you able to get a hold of Agent Walker?"

"She didn't answer, I left her a message. I imagine she will be in contact as soon as she can."

"Any signs of CIA operatives scoping out the sister?"

"I did see a man kind of lurking around near the mailboxes earlier. He didn't see me. There's a good chance he's CIA. I set up some surveillance."

"Keep a low profile there Major. I don't want your presence raising the CIA's suspicions, you are supposed to be in our custody being questioned."

"I understand General."

"Let me know as soon as you hear back from Walker. And see to it that she keeps Bartowski away from Burbank."

"Yes General."

Without so much as a goodbye, Beckman disconnected.

* * *

><p>Chuck and Sarah sat across from each other Indian style in the middle of the bed. Both of them eyeing their cards and one another.<p>

Chuck squinted as he looked carefully at his hand. He had been contemplating his next move for a good minute and half now, while she waited patiently.

"Any day now Chuck." She spoke up.

Chuck sighed heavily. "Okay, okay…Sarah…do you have any 8's?"

Sarah smiled. "Go fish." She replied.

Chuck drew a card from the pool in front of him.

Sarah looked back down at the three cards in her hand, all she needed was one more. "Chuck do you have a 3?" she asked.

Chuck smirked as he shook his head. Hesitantly he handed the card over to her.

Sarah quickly snagged it from his hands and laid her hand down in front of him. "Hah! Four 3's, I win!...Again."

Chuck tossed the rest of his hand down in defeat. "You know for someone who has never played Go Fish before, you sure did catch on quickly."

Sarah laughed. "Beginner's luck I guess."

"Yeah right."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Sarah, you're just one of those people who are good at everything you do."

"That's not true."

"Really? Name one thing you are not good at Sarah."

"Chuck there are lots of things I'm not good at."

"Like?"

I don't know, just like….normal stuff you know. Like making friends, and family stuff, I'm not so good at. Relationships, I've never been any good at all…and…water polo….I totally suck at water polo."

Chuck laughed, and Sarah followed suit. "You're getting funnier Sarah."

"Oooh, another thing I am not good at."

"Not true, you made me laugh and I only laugh at things that are funny."

"Well I guess you're rubbing off on me a little." She smiled.

Chuck found himself staring at her a big grin stretched ear to ear.

"What?" she questioned.

Chuck shook his head. "Nothing."

"Chuck?" she reached out and placed her hand on his arm. "Tell me."

"You're different….When you're not in agent mode 24/7. You're more laid back, carefree. I like it…I really like the real Sarah Walker. I don't get to see her very often."

Sarah blushed at his comments and looked away.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you or anything, I just…It's nice…just…hanging out with you, not having to keep up a cover or chase after bad guys. Just sitting here with you, playing a game of Go Fish, well it's the happiest I've been in a long time Sarah."

Sarah met his eyes again. "I'm having a good time too Chuck."

His eyes locked with hers and they gazed into one another's eyes. After a moment of awkward silence between them, Sarah averted her eyes and began picking up the cards between them.

"Well Chuck, it's getting late, we should probably get some sleep, we have another long day tomorrow."

Chuck nodded. Sarah finished gathering all the cards and set them on the night stand next to the bed.

"One more thing Sarah." Chuck said as he stood up and turned the covers down on the bed.

"Yeah Chuck?" she asked as she stood up and pulled the covers down on her own side of the bed.

"Technically you're not my handler anymore right?" he asked as he slipped into the bed and under the covers.

"Technically." She replied as she got into the bed as well. She pulled the covers up around her as she settled down against the mattress.

He turned to look at her, Propping himself up in his elbow, It was now or never. Chuck took a deep breath and blurted the words out before he lost his courage. "Sarah, will you….will you go on a date with me?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Well I hope you all liked it, I would love to hear what you thought. Thanks for reading.<strong>_


	7. Chapter 7

**A new week, so that means a new chapter. Thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing this story. Your comments mean a lot to me and I appreciate every single one of them. **

**I see there are a lot of stories being posted lately, I hope to be able to get reading some of them soon, hopefully later today, I'm kind of excited about that.**

**I am dedicating this chapter to Thereisanother, hope your recovery is going well and hope this brightens your day.**

**Chapter 7**

Chuck's eyes fluttered open as the first signs of daylight came streaming through the blinds. Half asleep, he managed to glance at the clock on the night stand, it was just after 7. Chuck yawned and rested his head back against his pillow. He was about to roll over onto his side when he realized something was weighing down on him. His attention turned to his right and he was greeted with probably one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen. Sarah Walker lying sound asleep next to him. Her head rested on his arm, her blonde tresses splayed over his arm and partially on his chest.

Chuck froze, it was an awkward position for them to be in, he didn't want to wake her and embarrass her, especially after everything that had happened last night. He finally felt like they had made some leeway with their relationship and he would hate to see Sarah revert back.

Chuck laid back against his pillow and recalled the conversation they had had before finally drifting off to sleep.

"_Sarah, will you….will you go on a date with me?"_

"_What?" she looked at him like he had grown a second head. , "Chuck you know we can't." She sat upright in the bed. Chuck followed suit._

"_Why?" He turned to face her; he reached for her hands and held them in his as he gazed into her deep blue eyes. "Sarah, you're not my handler anymore. All I'm asking for is one REAL date."_

"_Chuck, we're on the run, we can't exactly be out roaming around town on a date."_

"_Okay…okay, I get that, but Sarah, what if this is it? You know, I mean what if the CIA finds us? I could be headed to an underground bunker indefinitely and you…you could be facing a life in prison."_

_Sarah broke eye contact with him and looked down at their hands. She couldn't argue with that. The truth was, if the CIA caught them, then their lives as they knew it would be over._

"_Would it be that terrible? One real date with me?" he continued._

_She looked back up at him with a sympathetic look on her face. "Of course not." She replied._

_He laced his fingers with hers and gave her hands a squeeze. "Then say yes."_

_Sarah hesitated before taking a deep breath and exhaling. "Okay." She gave in._

_A smile spread across Chuck's face. "Really?" his face lit up._

_Sarah looked back up at him and met his eyes with hers. "Really." She replied. A smile formed on her own face._

"_It's a date then?" He asked._

_Sarah nodded, "It's a date."_

_Chuck just smiled in response. He was absolutely giddy._

"_But how's this going to work Chuck? Like I said, we can't be parading around town any more than we need to."_

"_Just leave it to me okay?" he pleaded with his eyes and she could feel herself falling deeper and deeper under his spell. He always had a way of talking her into things. He had such innocence about him; she found it extremely difficult to deny him anything._

"_Okay."_

_The two sat silently, lost in the moment with one another. It truly was a turning point in their relationship with one another._

"_We should get some sleep. Morning comes quickly." She said releasing his hands. She reverted back to her side of the bed and settled in under the covers again._

"_Yeah." Chuck replied as he did the same._

"_Goodnight Sarah."_

"_Goodnight Chuck."_

_Chuck reached for the bedside lamp and turned it off, leaving them lying there in the dark. The two settled into the bed. Chuck laid there with the hugest grin plastered on his face, with one single thought running rampant through his mind. 'She said yes.'_

Chuck's thoughts were interrupted when he felt Sarah's body shift. She was still very much asleep as she moved in closer to him. Her arm draped over him, her face nuzzled into the crook of his neck as her leg rubbed sensually against his inner thigh.

Chuck's breath caught in his throat. He was caught completely off guard and he didn't know what to do. More than anything he wanted to wrap his arms around her and pull her in tighter, but he couldn't do that to her. She was sleeping after all. She had no idea what she was doing.

Chuck laid there frozen for the next few minutes while Sarah continued to caress him in her sleep. He swallowed hard. God she felt so good. Chuck began to sweat as he felt his body responding to her. He had to stop this. But how?

Before he had a chance to think the question through, the alarm clock on the night stand went off. He had totally forgotten that Sarah had set it before they went to bed last night. Chuck turned slightly onto his side to shut it off. He felt Sarah who was clinging to him pretty tightly, shift her weight once again.

Sarah opened her eyes to the incessant ringing of the alarm clock. She noticed her extremely close proximity to Chuck and just exactly where her body was in regards to his and immediately retreated back to her side of the bed. Chuck rolled to his side facing away from her. His body was still reacting to her and it was something he would rather she didn't see.

Sarah was immediately embarrassed, she wasn't exactly sure what had just happened but she had a feeling it was something that shouldn't have. Her only hope was that Chuck had been asleep too and didn't realize just how close she was to him.

"Chuck?" she finally spoke.

Chuck sat up on his side of the bed, stretched his arms and faked a big yawn.

"Ahhhh, morning Sarah." He replied with his back to her.

"Was I…was I laying on you Chuck?"

"What?...No…I..I don't know….I was sleeping…you know what, I'm gonna jump in the shower."

Before she had a chance to respond. Chuck jumped up from the bed and made a beeline for the bathroom, keeping his back to her the whole time.

Sarah collapsed back against her pillow and sighed heavily in frustration. Something had clearly happened that Chuck wasn't saying.

"Damn it!"

* * *

><p>"Stop wasting my time and call me when you have some actual news!" Graham yelled into the phone before slamming it down on his desk in frustration. Graham reached for his desk drawer and pulled out the small flask. He unscrewed the cap and took a large swig of its contents before tossing it back in his desk drawer.<p>

Taking a deep breath he massaged his temples with his fingers as he closed his eyes trying to rid himself of the massive headache that had been plaguing him since yesterday. The pounding on his office door pulled him back to reality.

"Come in." he called out.

A young man popped his head through the door.

"What is it Abrams?"

The man stepped into the office and closed the door behind him.

"Tell me you have some news?" Graham spoke up.

"Sorry Director, nothing yet. We have no leads. It's like he just vanished."

"Someone is helping him. There's no way an untrained civilian could outsmart the CIA."

"Well perhaps the intersect is helping him along the way."

Graham shot him a dirty look.

"Director we have our best operatives on it, they are bound to find him."

Graham shook his head. "No! Find Walker, she's our best. She will find him."

"But sir are you sure you want her in on this? I mean if she digs around enough, she's bound to discover things surely you don't want her to know about."

"She's the best I have. I need her on this. It's a chance I'm willing to take."

"Yes sir, I'll track her down." Abrams turned and made his way towards the door.

"Oh and Abrams, what is the word on Dr. Mansfield?"

"I spoke with him earlier, He's on route now. He should be arriving later this afternoon."

"Let me know the second he arrives."

"Yes sir." Abrams said as he made his way out the door and closed it securely behind him.

Graham slumped over, resting his elbows on his desk and went back to rubbing his temples.

* * *

><p>It was going on a good forty minutes since Chuck's impromptu exit for the bathroom. Sarah sat crossed leg on the bed eating a bowl of cereal. She had the spoon midway to her mouth when Chuck walked out of the bathroom and she froze. He had been in such a hurry to get away from her that he forgot to bring a change of clothes into the bathroom with him.<p>

He quickly made his way across the room over to the bag of clothes sitting on the nearby chair. Sarah's mouth dropped as she took in the sight before her. Nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Water still dripping down his surprisingly muscular back. He really had been working out, that much was clear.

She was caught completely off guard. The attraction she was feeling for him at that very moment was undeniable.

"Sorry." He apologized for his appearance, his back still to her. "I forgot my clothes."

It took a moment for Sarah to find any words. "That's…okay." she managed to get out just as he turned to make eye contact with her. She eyed him up and down, just taking him in. Chuck made his way back into the bathroom and closed the door. Sarah sat there for a moment completely dumbfounded by what just happened and her reaction to it. She was feeling things inside that she hadn't felt for Chuck before. An attraction that she had never felt for anyone before.

* * *

><p>Graham stood up from behind his desk to greet Dr. Mansfield as Abrams escorted him into his office. He reached across the desk to shake his hand. "Dr. Thank you for coming so quickly."<p>

"Is there a problem with the intersect? Have there been some complications?" The doctor asked before taking a seat.

"That will be all Abrams." Graham said to the agent and watched him leave before sitting back down in his own chair and turning his attention back to the doctor.

"Dr. Mansfield, the intersect is gone."

"What? What do you mean? The subject isn't flashing anymore?"

"No Dr. I mean our subject has disappeared. The CIA no longer has him in custody. He left the bunker yesterday with a few of my agents. The agents were shot with tranquilizer darts and our subject is missing."

"Oh dear."

"Should I be worried doc?"

"The uploads aren't complete. We are only about 75% there. The special encoding in the video games combined with the hypno-therapy is keeping the 2.0 idle until the upgrade is complete. He's the first test subject who has even made it this far. There's no saying what kind of effects the 2.0 might have on him. And with him being out there… non-contained….there's no telling what might happen. So Director to answer your question, yes, you should be very concerned."

Graham sighed heavily. "That's what I was afraid of."

* * *

><p>"A sporting goods store?" Chuck asked, as Sarah brought the car to a stop. She had told him they had to pick up a few things in town, but she never did say what. In fact neither of them had said too much to one another that morning after the awkwardness of how it started.<p>

"We can't stay at the cabin much longer Chuck. We'll move out early in the morning. How are you at camping?" She turned to face him.

"Seriously?"

Sarah nodded.

"My dad used to take Ellie and I camping all the time."

"Good, because I've never camped before."

"What?" he sounded shocked. "Seriously?"

"Seriously."

Chuck smiled. "And here I thought you've done it all."

"Hardly. So we need to pick out some camping gear, you're going to have to help me out."

"Okay, I can do that."

She reached around the backseat and rummaged through her bag again. "Here." She said pulling out a baseball cap and handing it to him. "Put this on and keep your head down. No eye contact with anyone."

Chuck looked back at her nervously. "Okay."

"It's just for precaution okay, don't be nervous."

He nodded in response.

"We'll be quick in here and then I want to run across the street and get a new phone so I can get in touch with Casey and then we'll pick up a few groceries for the road."

"And our date." Chuck chimed in.

"What?"

"Sarah I know I can't take you out to dinner, but the oven in the cabin is working and if it's our last night there…well I may not get another chance…WE may not get another chance. So I'd really like to make you dinner tonight."

"Chuck, you're talking like we're going to get caught. Don't you trust me to keep you safe?"

"What? Of course I trust you, more than anyone. I'm just…I've never done this on the run from the law thing before Sarah. I'm not good at any of this spy stuff."

"What are you talking about Chuck? You have the makings of a great spy."

"How so?" he asked, turning to look at her.

"Well for starters, you're incredibly smart, you're a real problem solver, you think on your feet. And you care about people Chuck. You see the good in people and people just relate to you. You're a good guy Chuck. One of the best."

Chuck smiled. She could see the hope return in his eyes.

"As far as dinner tonight…that sounds great." Again, how could she deny this man anything? She smiled. "Now come on, let's get this over with."

Sarah opened her door and stepped foot outside the car. Chuck was about to do the same when several random images flashed before him. Chuck shook his head when the images stopped. They only lasted a few seconds, but they were different than his normal flashes. None of what he saw seemed to make any sense to him. The images had no meaning like they usually did. For him it was very reminiscent of his first flash he ever had. And why was he flashing now. It usually took something to set it off, a name, an image, something. Chuck hadn't flashed in weeks, not since Longshore took him in, so why was he flashing now?

"Chuck you coming?" Sarah asked bending down and poking her head through the window.

"Huh? Oh right." Chuck opened his door and joined Sarah on the sidewalk.

"Come on." She said taking hold of his hand she dragged him towards the store.

* * *

><p>"So what size tent are you two in the market for today?" the salesman asked the young couple.<p>

"Oh well just your standard size tent. We're going on a camping trip up north and my boyfriend's old tent just isn't up to par anymore."

"Well, this model right here is the best 2 person tent on the market. Stands up to all the elements, real durable."

"Great, we'll take it." Sarah said right away. Chuck just looked down at the ground appearing to be uninterested.

"Excellent choice, I'll get this rung up for you. Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

"Umm…" Sarah hesitated looking around the store.

Chuck who was standing behind her leaned down and whispered something in her ear.

"Oh right. Sleeping bags. We're going to need a couple of them as well."

"Of course, right this way."

Chuck and Sarah picked out a couple of sleeping bags some other items that might come in handy. They were just finishing up their shopping and about to head up to the register when Sarah noticed the strange man eyeing them from the corner of the room. He seemed particularly interested in Chuck. She reached for Chuck's hands, catching him off guard and turned him around, pulling him into her. He gave her a questioning look.

"Bogey at my 3 o'clock."

"What?" Chuck was about to panic.

"Relax. Just look at me, don't turn around." Chuck did as she instructed.

Sarah peered around him to find the man still watching them intently. Sarah sighed heavily.

"Kiss me." She said, catching Chuck by surprise.

"Wh…what?"

"Just do it Chuck…now!" she instructed.

Chuck leaned in and grazed his lips against her cheek briefly before pulling away.

"Chuck, I know this fake PDA is hard for you." She whispered in his ear, "But you're going to have to do better than that if anyone is going to buy us as a real couple."

Chuck glanced up and met her eyes with his. Without another thought, he swooped in and captured her lips with his, finally catching her off guard for a change. If Sarah Walker wanted a real honest to goodness kiss then that's exactly what she was going to get. His hand moved to her cheek, while the other slid slowly up her back. He moved his lips sensually over hers as he kissed her passionately savoring every second of it. When his need for air became too much, he finally pulled back. He moved his hand from her back to her other cheek, cupping her face in his hands as he rested his forehead against hers. Sarah struggled to catch her breath. Chuck pulled back a little more. Reaching out he brushed a few strands of hair from her face.

"That…that was…better." She managed to get the words out as he continued to stare deeply into her eyes. Sarah felt completely flushed. And was it hot in there? She felt like she was standing amidst an inferno. She took a step back trying to get her bearings. Finally recalling the purpose of the kiss, she glanced past Chuck. The man who had been watching them so intently had turned away in discouragement, realizing he didn't stand a chance with her.

Sarah breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"What?" Chuck asked, unable to take his eyes off of her.

"Looks like our bogey is nothing more than a gawker." She met his eyes once again. Those chocolate brown orbs were hypnotizing. The way he was looking at her. No one had ever looked at her like that before and it sent chills down her spine. Her eyes shifted to his lips. How she wanted to feel them once again. At that moment she found it incredibly hard to breathe.

"No harm done." He replied, his eyes never leaving hers.

"I got you two all rung up." The sales associate called to them from behind the counter, causing the two to finally break eye contact with one another.

"Come on Chuck, let's get our stuff and get out of here."

Chuck and Sarah finalized their purchases at the sporting goods store. Afterwards they made a quick stop so Sarah could get a new phone followed by a trip to the grocery store so they could get some more food to last them the week. And just before heading back to the cabin, Sarah made one last stop to fill the Civic up with gas.

* * *

><p>"Abrams, any word from Walker yet?" Graham questioned the operative.<p>

"Not yet Director, several calls were made but she hasn't checked in yet."

"Really? She's usually quick to call in unless she's in the field."

"I'll try her again sir."

"Give her another hour and call again. Have my field agents come back with anything yet?"

"No Director. It's like the intersect just vanished."

"Alright I want every available agent in the field, searching for him. We need to bring him in, sooner than later before it's too late."

"Yes Director."

"Oh and Abrams."

"Yes?"

"I want to know the second Walker calls in."

"Of course Director."

Graham watched Abrams make his exit. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes trying to ward off the onset of his latest headache.

* * *

><p>Chuck and Sarah had been pretty quiet most of the day around one another. Both of them obsessing over their kiss earlier in the day. And what a kiss it was. Sarah was having a hard time concentrating on anything else when she was around him and she tried her best to not let it show, but was having serious doubts that she was at all successful. No one had ever kissed her like that before or least of all ever made her feel like that before. But it wasn't even a real kiss, who was she kidding. It was all for show. And what did she care anyway, it's not like they were really a couple. It was all a cover and she wasn't looking for a real relationship. They were playing a part. Granted Chuck's performance was Oscar worthy, that's all it was, a performance. She just had to keep reminding herself of that.<p>

Sarah watched him from across the room. He was working diligently in the little kitchenette, preparing them a meal he described as 'to die for.'

"Chuck I'm going to step outside, check the perimeter and see if I can get in contact with Casey on the new phone."

Chuck looked up at her. "Oh…yeah sure…take your time." He said before turning his attention back to his task at hand.

Sarah grabbed her phone and stepped outside.

Chuck looked back up when he heard the door close. That kiss earlier had really thrown him off. He needed to concentrate if he was going to get this dinner right. But how could he concentrate when all he could think about was the blonde 50 feet away from him, and my God that kiss. The taste of her lips, the feel of her body pressed up against his, those mesmerizing blue eyes gazing into his own. She was like a flower and he was the bee. The attraction he was feeling towards her was undeniable. If he wasn't entirely sure before, it was obvious to him now. He was completely and utterly in love with Sarah Walker.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay so I know I ended it before the date, but in all fairness I did give you some good Charah in this chapter. Hopefully it left you with something to look forward to. I hope you enjoyed it, I would love to hear your comments or any reviews you want to throw my way. As always thanks for reading.<strong>_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Okay, so this chapter seemed to take me forever to write. I'll warn you, it is about 97% Charah fluff. Enjoy.**_

**Chapter 8**

Major John Casey had spent the last hour going over the latest reports that Beckman had sent over to him. They were secretly tracking the CIA's every move to recover the intersect. Casey nearly jumped out of his seat when his secure line he had set up for Sarah began to ring. He moved quickly to retrieve it.

"Hello?"

"Casey?"

"Walker. You guys okay?"

"Yeah….yeah so far so good." Sarah made her way around to the back of the cabin, checking things out.

"Graham has his agents out in full force looking for Chuck."

"I figured as much. I got like 5 messages from the agency today wanting me to check in. If I do they can trace my call, They'll know where I am, but if I don't then they're going to know there is something up."

"Look you're going to need to just lay low and keep moving. Graham has operatives all over Washington State and the surrounding areas. And whatever you do, don't bring him back to Burbank or make any contact with his sister. This place is crawling with agents."

"You're back in Burbank?" She sounded surprised.

"Yeah, I'm keeping an eye on things here."

"Casey, keep Ellie and Devon safe. They're not a part of this, they shouldn't get thrown into the middle of all this."

"I've set up surveillance, they're fine. No one has bothered them; they're just keeping an eye on them."

"Did Beckman find anything more, linking Graham to Fulcrum?" Sarah slowly made her way around the cabin.

"Nothing new yet, but she has some top analyst trying to tap into the surveillance footage from the bunker where Chuck was being held. We'll be able to see exactly what Graham was doing there."

"Chuck said Graham had him seeing a doctor…that he was working with him on some hypno-therapy. Chuck doesn't recall anything coming from it but I'm suspicious. He says he hasn't flashed since he's arrived at the bunker."

"Yeah I'd say that sounds a little suspicious. Keep an eye on him Walker. They may have done something to suppress the intersect or alter it in some way."

Sarah frowned. That was her first thought as well, she was hoping that perhaps she was over reacting, but Casey just re-affirmed her fears. She fell silent as she took it all in.

"Walker, you still there?"

"Huh?...Yeah…I'm still here."

"Do you have enough money? Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm okay on money for now. We're keeping everything pretty low key. In fact I think maybe we're going to do some camping."

"Walker don't tell me where you're going or where you are. The less I know about your location the better. I'll tell you where not to be, let's keep it at that."

"That's probably for the best." She agreed.

When Sarah finally finished her phone call with Casey she made her way over to the Civic. She opened the passenger side door and got inside. Sarah opened the glove compartment and pulled out her recently acquired maps of the state and surrounding areas and studied them intently and she mapped out a new route for them. They would be heading out early in the morning and she didn't want any surprises.

* * *

><p>It was another 20 minutes before Sarah was satisfied with her new plan. It was beginning to get dark so she exited the car and headed towards the cabin.<p>

Chuck was just putting the finishing touches on his dinner when she re-entered the cabin.

She came to a standstill as she took in the sight before her. The cabin was dimly lit, candlelight illuminated the room. Chuck had the small table for two set up exquisitely with some hand picked flowers, like the ones she had noticed growing outside that cabin, placed in the middle of the table.

"Perfect timing." Chuck said looking up from the dinner plates he was preparing.

"Chuck…how did you….how did you do all this?"

Chuck smiled. "You like it? I know it's not much. If we weren't stuck in this cabin with next to nothing at our disposal, I really could have done something better… something special."

"No Chuck it's….It's perfect." She smiled at him with approval. He flashed her his killer smile. He then proceeded towards her. He came to stand directly in front of her and extended his hand to her. She happily obliged.

"Okay, so you have to use your imagination a little here." He said as he escorted her over to the table. "For starters, I want you to pretend I am dressed in something a little more…well, date worthy." He pulled her chair out for her to sit down. "For example, you are wearing a fun little number, sexy, but conservative and first date material. It falls a couple inches above your knees, has a little sparkle to it, the neck line isn't too revealing but just enough to cause all the other men in the restaurant here to give you a second maybe even a third look as you walk past them. I'm thinking maybe red…no… salmon."

Sarah smiled at him, she found him to be completely adorable.

"You're wearing your hair down; your neck is adorned with a simple yet elegant necklace, with earrings to match. But to be honest, I barely even notice them, because I can't get past your sparkling blue eyes, that have me completely captivated and under your spell. I am finding it extremely difficult to even look away from you." He spoke as he stared into her big blue eyes.

Sarah smiled in response. She had never known anyone like Chuck before. He was so genuine and charming and just…incredible. He gave her a wink of the eye as he waited for her to respond. He was really putting himself out there tonight and he just prayed she would reciprocate his feelings.

Sarah glanced down at the table and blushed slightly. "Salmon?" she finally replied looking up at him. "I thought Salmon wasn't really your color?"

It was Chuck's turn to blush. He had in fact told her that in the past, mostly for Bryce's benefit.

"Well…that may not have been completely true." He finally admitted, slightly embarrassed that Sarah had called him out on that.

Sarah smiled. "Okay, so I take it, it's my turn now?" She asked.

Chuck looked up from the table and met her eyes with his.

"Okay, let's see." Sarah eyed the man who sat across from her. "You are wearing a casual, yet semi-formal button up black shirt. You have your sleeves rolled ¾ of the way up. Your top button around your collar is left undone. You're wearing jeans and that cologne that you wore on our first date."

Chuck smiled. She remembered the cologne he had worn on their first date. His smile then turned to confusion. "Wait… I'm wearing jeans? Sarah, this is a fancy restaurant." Chuck chimed in as he gestured the to pretend restaurant that they were currently seated in..

"I don't care. This is my interpretation right? How I want you to dress on our date, and I happen to like you in jeans." She replied.

Sarah regretted the words almost immediately. She was really letting her guard down tonight.

"I mean…I just…I like you in casual wear is all."

Chuck just smiled at her in response, she was incredibly adorable when she was stammering, not something she did often.

"Why don't we move on to the dinner?" he suggested, letting her off the hook rather easily considering she had called him out mere seconds ago.

"It smells really good. What is it?" She asked.

Chuck stood up from his chair and made his way over to the counter. He returned in seconds with two plates, placing one in front of her and the other in front of him as he sat back down.

"This Sarah is the famous Chuck Bartowski chicken pepperoni." He flashed her another grin.

Sarah's smile grew. "Chicken pepperoni?" she asked.

"Trust me; you're going to be blown away."

Sarah laughed. "I'm sure it'll be great Chuck. I'm just excited to be eating something not from a box or a fast food restaurant at this point."

Chuck made his way back over to the counter and returned with a couple of glasses and a bottle of sparkling grape juice. He placed the glasses on the table and began to pour one for her and one for himself. I really wanted to get a nice bottle of wine for us, but I know we need to be on our toes and can't really risk being under the influence of alcohol. This is the best I could find at the store today. My resources were a tad limited so to speak."

"It's fine Chuck."

Chuck sat back down across from her and raised his glass. "A toast." He said.

Sarah lifted her glass.

"To us…and to hopefully and unforgettable evening."

The two clinked their glasses together, and they both took a sip before returning their glasses to the table.

Chuck watched her intently as she picked up her fork and tried her first bite of the meal.

Sarah had to admit, the name of his dish didn't exactly sound that appealing to her, but it did smell good and it didn't look horrible, not to mention the fact that she was starving. She brought the fork to her mouth. She could feel his eyes focused on her. She took the first bite and was actually surprised by its pleasant taste.

"Mmm this is really good Chuck."

"You really like it?" he asked. The excitement evident in his voice.

Sarah smiled. "It's great Chuck. Thank you for doing this."

"I wish it could have been more."

"You always sell yourself short Chuck. You have no idea how incredible you are."

Their eyes locked with one another, a smile spread across Chuck's face. Things were going better than he had anticipated tonight.

The two continued to enjoy their dinner while engaging in light hearted conversation and flirtatious banter. Sarah was allowing herself to enjoy a side of Chuck she had tried to ignore for so long. The side that gave her goose bumps when his arm would accidentally brush against hers. The side that caused butterflies in her stomach when she thought about being alone with him on a mission or even worse a cover date. She had fought these feelings for so long. Made excuses to disregard them, to disregard him. She used work as an excuse as to why they couldn't be together, why they shouldn't be together. But when she was alone with him like this, she couldn't think of a single reason why she shouldn't be with this incredible specimen of a human being. Truth be told, things would have been so much easier had she just left with Bryce when he had asked her to. But Bryce was no Chuck. He was extremely special. There was something about Chuck Bartowski that she just couldn't walk away from.

There was nothing she didn't like about the man. He was sweet, charming, good looking, funny…a good kisser. Scratch that; make that a damn good kisser. She thought as she rationalized things in her head.

"Sarah?" He spoke her name louder when she didn't respond the first time.

"Hmm?" she replied as he finally shook her from her thoughts.

"You okay? You kind of spaced out for a minute there."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry I was just thinking is all. I'm sorry what were you saying?"

"I was just saying, I wonder what would Casey think right now if he knew we were doing this."

Sarah laughed. "Fortunately for us he is thousands of miles away."

Chuck smiled. "Is he safe Sarah? Will the CIA go after him again?"

"I don't know Chuck, but he's safe for now. Don't stress about it okay. Casey was doing what he was ordered to do. Beckman will do everything she can to protect him."

Sarah could see Chuck still seemed a bit uneasy despite his efforts to hide it.

"Come on, I thought you were supposed to be showing me a good time tonight? That is what you promised isn't it?"

Chuck smiled. "I did. So how about some desert?"

"That sounds good."

Chuck stood up from the table and made his way back into the kitchenette area of the cabin.

"You'll be glad to know that I didn't make this. My talents are pretty limited in the kitchen. They don't really extend beyond the Chicken Pepperoni dish."

"Chuck I'm sure whatever it is, will be great."

"Oh and keep in my, the bakery section of the grocery store today, well for a better word, was lacking variety. I did however come across this." Chuck returned to the table carrying a small white bakery box. Go ahead" he instructed her.

Sarah leaned over and opened the lid on the small box and peered inside. Her eyes lit up. "Is that red velvet?" she asked.

Chuck nodded. "You like?"

Sarah smiled. "You now I do." She replied.

Chuck set the box on the table and placed the desert on two plates and handed one to her. He watched as she dove right in. He couldn't help but smile when he saw the smile form on her own face.

"Oh my God, Chuck this is so good." She spoke between bites.

"So I did good then?" he asked taking a bite of his own desert.

"You did great." She replied before taking another bite.

Chuck laughed when she moaned with pleasure. He found it cute, not to mention incredibly sexy. It didn't take much on Sarah's part to turn him on that was for sure.

"Chuck this has been great. Thank you for such a nice date." She said to him as she finished up her desert.

Chuck leaned across the table and placed his hand on hers. "Well it's not over just yet, I have a little more up my sleeve for you" he met his eyes with hers.

A huge smile appeared on her face and she laughed.

Chuck looked at her in surprise. Was she laughing at him? Chuck retreated back in his seat.

"What?" he asked. "Did I…did I say something funny?" he looked confused.

"No…Not at all Chuck, it's just you have…" Sarah scooted her chair closer to him and leaned in. She reached out at him with her napkin. "You have frosting…" She dabbed at it. "On your lip." She continued to wipe at it. Chuck sat motionless, he felt his heart racing. Sarah was having a similar reaction when she realized their close proximity to one another, her face mere inches from his. She thought back to their kiss earlier as her gaze fell to his lips. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she forced herself to pull back.

"All gone." She replied setting her napkin back down on the table.

Chuck ran his hand over the spot she had just wiped clean. "Thanks." He replied, not being able to take his eyes off of her.

"So you were saying?" she continued trying to shift the focus on what had just happened.

"What?" Chuck was nearly in a daze.

"You said you have something else planned."

"Oh… right." Chuck jumped to his feet. Sarah watched him make his way across the room. He had his back to her as he spoke. "I was exploring the cabin earlier and I came across this old transistor radio, and it actually works." He turned to face her, the radio in hand. "And I was thinking, what's a real date without some real dancing."

"You want to dance?...here?" she asked.

Chuck nodded his head. He set the radio down on the counter and fiddled with it for a moment until he found a station playing some soft, suitable slow dancing music. He smiled as he made his way over to her. He came to stand in front of her an extended his hand to her. "Would you do me the honor?" he asked.

Sarah seemed hesitant. She reluctantly offered Chuck her hand and he pulled her to her feet. She felt a jolt of electricity coursing through her body the instance he touched her. Chuck felt it too.

"Your palm is sweaty." Sarah commented as he pulled her towards the middle of the room. Chuck pulled it from her and attempted to wipe it on his pant leg.

"Sorry." He said. "I guess, I'm a little nervous."

Sarah grabbed his hand. "Why are you nervous?" she asked looking him in the eye as she moved in closer to him.

"Are you kidding me? Why wouldn't I be nervous Sarah? I mean…look at you…Look at me."

She locked eyes with him. "I am looking at you." She smiled at him. "Let's dance Chuck."

He smiled as he pulled her into his arms. He wrapped one arm around her waist. With his free hand he laced his fingers with hers as they began to sway slowly to the music. Chuck felt his temperature rise as she seemed to melt into him.

The longer they danced, the closer they got, the more comfortable with one another they became. Chuck felt his breath catch in his throat when she rested her head against his chest.

Sarah felt shivers run up her spine as he held her in his arms. She felt incredibly safe and at ease. Like she was exactly where she was supposed to be for the first time in her life.

"Sarah." He spoke he name, barely able to get the word out.

"Hmm?" she looked up at him and he lost his train of thought once again.

"God you're so beautiful." He swallowed hard again. His eyes fell to her lips and all he could think about was tasting them once again.

The way he was looking at her, Sarah thought her heart was about to burst. She thought back to their kiss earlier. It was probably the most incredible kiss she had ever experienced, other than the one she had planted on him months ago on the docks when she thought they were going to die. What she wouldn't give for him to kiss her now. No cover involved, no life or death situation, just a true kiss between them.

No, what was she thinking? Now was not the time to let her guard down. She was being selfish. This was about Chuck and keeping him safe. It wasn't some romantic getaway vacation for the two of them. She had a job to do and she couldn't let anything get in the way of that.

Chuck found his lips moving closer and closer to hers. It was like a magnetic force bringing them together. He didn't exactly have much experience with making the first move, especially with someone like Sarah. Someone he found to be incredibly out of his league, but he didn't let that stop him.

He released her hand and moved his to her cheek while he pulled her in tighter with his other hand clasped securely around her waist. His lips brushed lightly against hers. They moved slowly over hers. Sarah stood motionless. Was this really happening? Was he really kissing her? It was slow and sensual. He took his time, almost as if he were trying to savor the moment. When he pulled away Sarah stood before him. Her eyes were still closed. She opened them to see Chuck staring at her. He smiled, but she seemed to remain frozen.

Chuck's smile faded. What had he done? Things were going so well, Did he just blow it?

"Sarah?"

She didn't respond, in fact she looked away from him. Oh god, he did blow it.

"Sarah, I'm sorry…I didn't mean to….I…." He stammered.

Sarah stood before him, her heart in a major battle with her head. She could see Chuck was visibly upset. She never wanted to upset him. That kiss, that kiss was so sweet and just amazing. She tried to speak, but the words didn't come easy.

"Chuck."

"I really blew it didn't I?...I just…I really like you Sarah….I…I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable…I just… I thought you…I'm sorry."

"Chuck stop, its okay."

"No it's not…Clearly I shouldn't have done that. I'm not the kind of guy who comes on so strong…I made you uncomfortable…I….I just…"

Sarah couldn't take it anymore; her heart was definitely winning the battle here.

"Oh to hell with it." She said as she moved back in and captured his lips with hers catching Chuck off guard this time. It didn't take him long to respond. He found his hands moving up her back. Her hands clasped around his neck as their lips moved in synch with one another. The kiss was full of passion and pent up desire. It was electric.

The urgency of the kiss eventually faded and turned into something soft and sensual. When their lips parted they both stood their almost as if they were in shock of what had just happened.

"Sarah." Chuck was the first to speak. "You…you kissed me."

Sarah swallowed the huge lump that was forming in her throat. "I know." She managed to get the words out. "You kissed me first." She threw in.

Chuck smiled. "I did."

Sarah smiled back at him.

"That was…incredible." He spoke taking a step closer to her.

Sarah blushed. "I know."

Chuck's hand moved in to caress her cheek. She leaned her face into his palm as he smoothed his hand over her soft features.

"Can we do it again?" He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, still swollen from their kiss.

Sarah brought her own hand up and rested it on the side of Chuck's face as she stepped in closer. Their lips met once again. They kept the kiss soft and sensual. She locked her arms around his neck, while his circled her waist.

The kiss eventually broke but their embrace did not. They gazed lovingly into one another's eyes. Sarah leaned into him, resting her head against his chest and closed her eyes. They went back to swaying slowly to the music that still filled the air. Neither of them wanting this moment to end.

Eventually the music did fade and the dance came to an end. The two reluctantly pulled apart. Chuck reached for her hands and held them in his.

"I wish tonight didn't have to end." He finally spoke.

Sarah smiled. "Tonight has been really great Chuck. Probably the best date I've ever been on."

"Really?" He seemed shocked.

"Really." She replied. "Chuck, no one has ever…"

"What?" he asked.

"You make me feel special. No one has ever made me feel like you do."

"Sarah you are special. You're incredible. How is that you don't see that?"

She smiled and looked down at their intertwined hands.

"I mean it Sarah; I've never met anyone more amazing in my life. You deserve nothing but the best."

"So do you." She said looking back up at him with a smile.

"Really? You mean that?"

"Of course I do."

"Then does that mean… You'll go on another date with me?" he asked hopeful.

Sarah smiled in response.

"Is that a yes?" he asked.

"That's a yes Chuck."

He reached for stray piece of hair that had fallen in her eyes and brushed it aside.

"It's getting late though. We're leaving early in the morning, so we should probably call it a night."

Chuck seemed a bit disappointed, but understanding. "You're probably right."

"I think I'm going to jump in the shower quick."

Chuck nodded. He released her hand and allowed her to gather her belongings for the bathroom.

"Sarah wait."

Sarah stood at the bathroom door. Her hand on the doorknob, she turned to look at him.

Chuck approached her, determination in his stride. "What is it Chuck?" she asked.

"We forgot a very important part of the date."

She looked at him confused.

"What's that?" she asked.

"The part where I walk you to your door and kiss you goodnight." He replied just before his lips crashed into hers. She was caught completely by surprise. She kissed him back with fervor. The kiss didn't last long, Chuck decided not to press his luck, but it was long enough to leave her wanting more. "Goodnight Sarah." He said as he pulled away.

She just watched him for a moment, before opening the bathroom door. "Goodnight Chuck." She replied before slipping inside and closing the door behind her. Once the door was closed Sarah rested her back against it and released a sigh as the hugest smile appeared on her face. She was completely smitten with one Chuck Bartowski.

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><p><strong>Okay so what did everyone think? Hope you found it satisfying for now. I know there wasn't much story movement with this one, but sometimes you just need some Charah fluff. Thanks for reading, I appreciate and an all reviews you want to throw my way.<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: Okay, so I have gone over and over this chapter and there is just nothing more I can do with it. It's not exactly how I wanted it to turn out, but it is what it is. All in all it accomplished what I wanted it to, so I'm just going to leave it at that. Hope you like it.**_

**Chapter 9**

She raked her nails down his back and moaned with pleasure. His lips teased her as they traveled down her neck, leaving tantalizing kisses in their path. For someone who claimed he didn't have that much experience with the ladies, he sure knew what he was doing Sarah thought.

"Oh Chuck." the words escaped her; She bit her lip in an effort to control her spontaneous outbursts. His mouth moved to her breast as he continued to thrust inside her. Sarah wrapped her legs around him and pulled him deeper into her, eliciting a guttural moan to escape him this time.

"Ahh Sarah!"

In one swift motion Sarah flipped him over onto his back, the two never separating. Sarah straddled his lap as they continued to move in synch with one another. Chuck reached up with his hand and clasped it behind her neck pulling her mouth down to his. He kissed her fervently on the lips.

He traced her bottom lip with his tongue, begging for entrance into her mouth. Sarah smiled against his lips at his efforts, eventually she obliged and he deepened the kiss.

"Sarah, I love you." he spoke between kisses.

The words cut through her like glass. What the hell was she doing? He loved her? Sarah Walker doesn't fall in love with anyone. Sure she has feelings for him; she really likes spending time with him. She finds him attractive, charming and amusing, sexy and incredibly good in bed, but love? No, she had to stop this before it got too out of hand. She didn't want to lead him on; she couldn't do that to him. They were having a good time with one another, why did he have to go and throw the L word in there?

Sarah pulled back and without any warning, moved off of him.

"Sarah?"

Without a word, she grabbed her t-shirt off the floor and tossed it on over her head.

"Is something wrong? Did I do something wrong?" Chuck asked, confusion written all over his face.

"Chuck this was a bad idea." she finally spoke as she slipped a pair of panties on over her legs and pulled them up.

"Wh..What?...why?...I thought...I thought it was pretty good."

She could see the look of disappointment on his face. Once again she had made him feel inferior, like he wasn't good enough.

"It was Chuck...It was great."

His look of confusion grew.

"Then I don't understand. I mean I thought you liked me, that you wanted this."

"I do and I did...Look its complicated okay, this was a mistake."

"Complicated? What's so complicated about it? How can you say this is a mistake?... Sarah I love you."

"Don't say that Chuck. Please just don't"

"Why not? Sarah it's how I feel. Its how I've felt for such a long time. Sarah Walker, I love you." he moved towards her. "So I don't understand, what's the problem?"

"I don't love you Chuck." her words were like a knife to his heart. He took a step back as if he had just been burned. "I'll never love you...I can't."

Sarah bolted upright in the bed. What started out as one of the best dreams she had ever had turned into a nightmare in the matter of seconds. She could still see the devastated look on Chuck's face. Sarah's attention shifted to the empty side of the bed next to her. Chuck wasn't there. A moment of panic overtook her. She looked around the cabin, her eyes coming to rest on the closed bathroom door. She heard the shower turn on and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Last night had been difficult enough as it was trying to go to sleep, lying next to him after the incredible evening they had together. And those kisses they shared. She longed for so much more. She had never felt such desire in her entire life.

Sarah rested her head back against her pillow. Remnants of her dream still incredibly vivid in her mind. The way he touched her, the way he kissed her, just the way he looked at her, elicited feelings in her she had never known before. And the pain she felt when she told him she would never love him was still evident. It's not that she didn't want to, she just didn't know how. It wouldn't be fair to him. She had the talk to Chuck that was for sure. See how serious he was about this thing between them. She wanted to be with him, but knowing Chuck, she was sure he would want more out this relationship, and she didn't know if that was something she would ever be able to give him or anyone for that matter.

* * *

><p>Chuck turned off the water and reached for his towel. He wrapped it securely around his waist and stepped out of the shower. He was hoping the shower would refresh him, but he still felt completely exhausted. He was lucky if he got an hour of sleep last night. He was having an extremely difficult time lying in bed next to her, His mind running rampant with all the things he longed to do with her.<p>

It wasn't even 48 hours ago that he was stuck in an underground bunker. Never in a million years did he expect to be here right now with Sarah Walker, the woman of his dreams.

Chuck wiped at the fogged up mirror in front of him and took a good look at the reflection staring back at him. Out of nowhere another series of random images along with his own flashed in his head. Charles Bartowski, first successful human intersect. Most important piece of government intelligence in the world, lethal weapon, considered to be extremely dangerous. The information came at him like a freight train.

Chuck shook his head as he came out of the flash. "What the hell was that?" he asked himself. Did he actually just flash on himself? And why did his flash depict him as a lethal weapon and extremely dangerous? Clearly there was something wrong with the intersect.

Chuck quickly dried off and got dressed. As much as he didn't want to ruin their little getaway, he knew this was serious and he needed to tell Sarah about this latest flash.

* * *

><p>Agent Abrams paused outside Director Graham's door. He sighed heavily before bringing his hand up to knock. He was not looking forward to this morning's visit with the Director.<p>

"Come in." came the deep voice on the other side of the door.

Abrams entered to see Director Graham changing into a sitting position on his couch. He had obviously spent the night there in his office.

"Tell me something good Abrams." He said looking up at the young agent.

Abrams swallowed the large lump that had formed in his throat. "Director, Agent Walker has yet to check in. I did a little research on her following her last mission that ended in Paris 3 days ago. She purchased a plane ticket and left Paris immediately after her mission wrapped up."

"And? Where did Walker go?"

"She bought a one way ticket back to the states… Seattle to be exact." Abrams took a step back waiting for the Director's reaction to the news.

But Graham didn't say anything. He stared blankly at Abrams¸ who was now inching towards the door.

Finally Graham spoke. "She helped him escape…I should have known….Abrams inform my field agents that they are now looking for Walker as well. I want her brought in, dead or alive….And get me General Beckman on the phone."

* * *

><p>Chuck and Sarah had packed up and left the cabin fairly early in the morning. They had been on the road for a good 45 minutes now. Chuck was being unusually quiet. Sarah knew that the flash he had this morning had really upset him and she had been unable to offer him much comfort. The truth was it had her feeling a bit uneasy as well. She really didn't know what to make of all it. She didn't know what Graham and the CIA did to him, but she sure as hell was going to find out.<p>

Chuck sat with his head pressed up against the passenger side window as he gazed out at the road ahead of them. It broke Sarah's heart to see him like that. He looked lost and hopeless. Taking one of her hands off the wheel. She reached across and took him by surprise when she took his hand into hers and gave it a squeeze.

"Chuck, it's going to be okay… I promise."

She shifted her eyes from the road to look at him. "Whatever they did to you…We'll fix it." She tried to sound positive.

Chuck sat upright in his seat. Still holding her hand in his. "Sarah…what if we can't?"

"That's not even an option Chuck." She smiled at him, hoping to lighten the mood a bit.

He offered her a small smile in response.

"So come on, you're awfully quiet over there. Talk to me while I drive."

"About what?"

"Anything you want. I just can't take the silence anymore."

Chuck straightened up in his seat. "Hmmm, okay….let's see…Oh, I know, who's your favorite band?"

* * *

><p>"Director. And to what do I owe this honor?" General Beckman spoke to Director Graham over the small monitor on her desk.<p>

"General, we believe that Agent Walker is aiding Mr. Bartowski with his escape from our CIA facility."

"Really? That's…interesting." Beckman replied.

"I find it even more interesting that her former partner John Casey was captured by my men in the same area where the intersect went missing."

"What are you insinuating Graham. We've already been through this."

"I want to know why you ordered the intersect's extraction? And why one of my agents would be involved in it?"

Beckman clasped her hands in front of her and leaned forward in her seat.

"Director, you are making some strong accusations here. Not that I need to respond to this but for your information I have not seen or spoken to Agent Walker since Operation Bartowski came to a close. What Agent Walker does is no longer my concern. I do have a question for you though. From what I have seen over the past year, Agent Walker is a good spy, she's loyal, trustworthy, smart and resilient. So tell me, if she IS in involved with this, what could have possibly compelled her to take such action? Her main concern has always been the intersect's safety, that much has been clear from the beginning."

"You're right about something; Walker is a good a spy. One of the CIA's best. She follows orders, which is why I find it peculiar that she would be involved with this, going against the CIA unless she was ordered to do so."

"Director, I don't like what you are insinuating. While I have you on the line, I might as well tell you since you're going to hear about it anyway. I spoke with the President this morning and given the dire situation that this is, he has given the NSA jurisdiction to join in the search for the intersect. He is also looking into what may have led up to Bartowski feeling he had to run."

"We don't even know for sure that he did run. For all I know he was taken." Graham chimed in.

"This is absolutely ridiculous. The CIA was given full rein over the project when we placed Bartowski in a bunker. Those were orders from the president!" Graham was becoming quite heated.

"Well, it looks like he has changed him mind." Beckman retorted.

Graham looked at her with venom in his eyes. He was absolutely fuming. Without another work he pressed the button, ending the call. Beckman's screen went blank. A smile formed on her face. She pressed the intercom button on her phone that rang out to her secretary.

"Yes General what can I do for you?" the voice came over the intercom."

"Get me Major Casey on the phone."

* * *

><p>Sarah and Chuck had driven for hours. It was late in the afternoon when Sarah had decided they should probably find a place to set up their camp for the night. They had made good time heading east through Oregon state. Sarah had no particular destination in mind; the goal at this point was to just keep moving.<p>

According to Sarah's map they were about 2 miles out from a town called East Hendersonville. A remote area in the northern portion of the state, witch according to her research housed some great camp sites.

It was only a couple of minutes before they came to the first of several camp site pull offs. The area was secluded and from what she could tell lacking campers, being it wasn't quite camping season yet.

Sarah drove to their campsite and the two began unloading their equipment. There wasn't another camper probably within a 1,000 feet of them.

Chuck unloaded the tent. "Where do you want to set it up?" he asked.

Sarah looked around. She didn't know the first thing about setting up a tent. "Umm."

Chuck could see her struggling with this one. He smiled. "The ground is nice and level right here, this would probably be a good spot." He said.

"You're the expert with this one Chuck."

Chuck set down the tent and began to take out the pieces. Sarah came over to assist him.

"So, how do we set this thing up anyway?" She asked pulling out a few of the ground stakes for the tent and giving them a strange look.

Chuck laughed and took them from her hand. "Allow me Sarah."

_**15 minutes later…**_

Sarah stood back looking at the site before her. Chuck had the tent up in no time; she was quite impressed, especially since she had been virtually useless during this task.

"How's it look?" Chuck asked, securing the last stake in the ground.

"Pretty good Chuck, I'm impressed." Sarah said making her way around the tent and over to where he was. Chuck stood up just as Sarah circled the tent. Sarah who was paying more attention to the tent and not where she was walking failed to see the stake in the ground with the corresponding ties which her foot was now tangled in. She lost her balance and lunged forward. Chuck moved in quickly trying to prevent her from face planting it into the ground, but as graceful as he was lost his own balance in the process causing them both to go down. Sarah ended up on her back and Chuck came barreling down right on top of her.

"Oww." Sarah said before breaking into laughter.

Chuck laughed as well as he moved slightly to the side so all he weight wasn't crushing down on her.

They both laughed hysterically.

"Are you okay?" Chuck managed to get out.

Sarah nodded her head. "Yeah…you?"

Chuck nodded in response as their laughter began to subside.

Bringing his hand up he brushed a few strands of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. She looked up at him with her big blue eyes and he felt completely lost. Chuck brushed his fingers across her cheek and caressed it gently. Their faces mere inches from one another. Without giving it much thought, Chuck leaned in closer and grazed his lips softly against hers. It felt so natural he thought.

Sarah's own hand came up and stroked his cheek as they kissed, giving Chuck goose bumps in the process. Their mouths parted and their eyes met momentarily before their lips came crashing into one another's again. The kiss this time was a little more intense. Sarah's hands traveled from Chuck's cheek up into his hair. He continued to stroke her cheek with the pad of his thumb as their lips moved in synch with one another. When the kiss came to an end they found themselves gazing lovingly into one another's eyes.

Sarah was the first to speak. "What…What was that for?"

Chuck slowly moved off of her and sat up in the grass next to her. Sarah sat up as well.

"I've come to the conclusion Sarah, that I just…I really like kissing you. I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have done that." He looked away from her.

"Chuck, its okay….I…I really like kissing you too."

He turned to look at her, surprised by her words. "Really?"

Sarah smiled and nodded her head. She leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek before moving to stand up.

Chuck smiled and stood up as well. The two brushed the dirt off and stared at their masterpiece in front of them.

Chuck grabbed the sleeping bags and tossed them inside. "We should probably gather some wood for a campfire before it gets too late." He suggested.

"Right."

Chuck extended his hand to her. She took hold of it and the two sauntered off hand in hand towards the woods in search for firewood.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later they returned with enough firewood to get them through the night. Chuck immediately went to work on starting a campfire. Sarah was actually quite good at starting fires. She had aced that in one of her survival classes taught at the academy, but Chuck was on such a roll with the whole camping thing, she didn't want to take that away for him. He was so comfortable with all of this and he seemed to be in his element. Who was she to deprive him of that?<p>

Sarah went about checking her messages while Chuck worked on the fire. She started with her main cell phone. She had three messages. Two were from the agency wanting her to check in again and the third was from Ellie. It was the third message she had from her this week, but now that she was on the run with Chuck it would be impossible for her to call her back or accept a call from her. The CIA would be watching her, tracing her calls. Sarah felt bad about it, but she would do whatever she had to do to keep Chuck safe.

She watched him intently as he continued to work on the campfire. He just about had it going. But what was even more impressive than the fire was the man building it. He had such a confidence about him, Sarah had never seen before. She smiled before turning her attention to her other phone that she had set up for Casey. She had one message. Sarah punched in her password and listened to the message.

Another minute passed and Chuck had a nice fire blazing. He stood up with a big smile on his face, proud of his work. He turned to Sarah to say something and noticed the look on her face.

"Everything okay?" he moved towards her.

"Casey left me a message."

Chuck took a seat next to her. "And?"

"Graham knows I'm involved. The CIA is looking for me now too."

Chuck sighed heavily. "Okay, but you figured that was going to happen right, so this isn't really shocking news or anything right?"

"Yeah I know."

"So what now?"

"We just stick to the plan. Keep moving and lay low until Casey and Beckman can get something incriminating on Graham."

"And what if they don't?"

She looked up at him and met his eyes with hers. "They will." She leaned in and gave him a peck on the lips. "Don't worry."

Sarah stood up and made her way over to her bag and shoved her phones inside. "So what do we have to eat?"

* * *

><p>As nighttime set in, Chuck had shown Sarah how to roast a hotdog over a campfire and helped her make her very first Smore. With full stomachs the two sat in front of the roaring fire, just enjoying one another's company.<p>

Chuck was slouched down, his back resting against a large rock. Sarah laid with her head resting in his lap. Their fingers laced together.

"When you were a little girl did you ever think you would end up being a spy?" Chuck asked.

Sarah laughed. "Hardly."

"What did you want to be?"

Sarah laughed. "You really want to know?"

"You know I do."

"I wanted to be like my dad."

"What did your dad do?"

Sarah sighed heavily.

"Sarah if you don't want to talk about it, I'll understand. I know you like to keep your past private."

"No Chuck, it's just…There are things about me, about my past, that no one knows about. Things people may not like."

"I would never think poorly of you Sarah, no matter what you told me."

"Do you promise to keep this between us?"

"Of course."

"My dad was a con artist. A very good con artist. Growing up he taught me everything he knew. He used me in heists. I helped him from the time I was a young girl, up until his arrest. We moved constantly, we had a lot of different aliases."

Chuck found it hard to believe that someone who worked for the CIA grew up conning people. "So your dad is in jail?"

"He was in jail. I'm not sure where he is now."

"Does he know that you're an agent for the CIA?"

"No. The only civilian that knows I am an agent with the CIA is you Chuck."

Chuck gave her hand a squeeze. "Was it hard…growing up like that?"

"It wasn't so bad. I loved my dad, so I wanted to make him happy, make him proud you know. Nothing made him happier than a big score."

"Still, it couldn't have been easy. Moving all the time. Doesn't make it easy to make any friends."

"I never really had any friends growing up." She said matter of factly like it wasn't a big deal.

"What? You…You didn't have any friends?" he found it hard to believe that someone could go their entire childhood, without one real friend.

"No, not really."

"Sarah...that's….that's really….sad."

Sarah took in what Chuck was saying. "Well I never really thought about it before, but now that you mention it…yeah it does sound kind of sad doesn't it?"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. My dad taught me to be tough, to be strong and not be taken advantage of. All extremely important life skills."

"Yeah, I guess." He replied.

"So enough about me, what about you? Surely you didn't grow up wanting to be a Nerd Herder?"

Chuck laughed. "No I didn't."

"Well? What did you want to be?"

"I wanted to design video games."

"So why aren't you?"

"Seriously? Are you forgetting our friend Bryce Larkin. The fact that he got me kicked out of Stanford, ruining any chance I had at a real life."

"I don't buy that Chuck."

"What?"

"You are incredibly smart, you're talented, you could do anything you wanted to do, yet you hide behind that desk at the Buy More. What are you so afraid of?"

No one had ever called Chuck out like that before, not even Ellie.

"I…I just…I don't know."

"You need to believe in yourself Chuck. Everyone else believes in you, so why don't you?"

Chuck contemplated her words. "I guess…I guess I'm just scared."

"Scared of what?"

"Of failing."

"Chuck, you're failing yourself by not trying. You deserve to have everything you ever dreamed of. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there and just go for it. You can have everything you ever wanted."

Chuck smiled. "You're right Sarah. Once again you're right."

"Of Course I am." Sarah and Chuck both laughed.

The two laid there in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Sarah spoke again.

"Chuck?"

"Hmmm?"

"There is something we need to talk about. Something I've been putting off all day."

"What is it Sarah?"

"We need to talk about…this…about us."

This piqued his attention. "What about us Sarah?"

Sarah swallowed the lump in her throat. This was a difficult subject for her to bring up.

"Chuck I really like you. I've never been happier than I am when I'm spending time with you."

"I feel the same way Sarah."

"I'm just…I…"

"What is it?"

"Chuck I know how when you get an idea in your head, you just dive right in and I don't know if I'm ready for that kind of relationship. I don't know if I am ready for anything too serious and I just want to be upfront with you, because the last thing I would want to do is lead you on."

Chuck brought their intertwined fingers up to his lips and placed a kiss on her hand.

"Sarah. I appreciate your honesty. The truth is I am willing to take this one day at a time. I just really like being with you. I mean we're having fun aren't we?"

Sarah smiled. "Yeah. We're having fun." She looked up at him.

With his free hand he traced her bottom lip with his thumb before leaning down to kiss her. Sarah propped herself up on her elbow and met him halfway. The kiss quickly became heated. Sarah shifted in his arms. Their lips parting only long enough for Sarah to sit upright. She wrapped her arms around his neck. His hands circled her waist and pulled her closer. They kissed one another fervently with a year's worth of pent up desire.

Sarah moved onto his lap, in a straddling position. Chuck's hands roamed aimlessly up her back caressing her. Sarah tugged at the bottom of his t-shirt. Chuck pulled his lips away from hers just long enough to help her remove it. She smiled as she ran her hands over his bare chest. Chuck's lips sought out hers once again.

"Sarah?"

"Hmm?"

"Wanna go in the tent?" Chuck pulled his lips from hers once again waiting for her response.

Sarah bit her lip in anticipation as she gave him a nod. Sarah climbed off of his lap and the two crawled into the tent. Once inside their lips found each other's once again. Chuck's hands found their way up Sarah's shirt. He caressed the silky smooth skin on her back as they kissed. His lips moved to her neck and she moaned with pleasure. Chuck laid Sarah onto her back as he hovered above her. His lips continued their way down her neckline. She raked her nails down his muscular back, sending shivers down his spine as she writhed beneath him.

She looked at him with desire in her eyes.

"Sarah…do you…want to…"

Sarah nodded and beckoned him with her finger to come closer. She kissed him on the lips, begging him for more.

"I don't have any protection." He spoke into her ear.

"It's okay Chuck…I'm on the pill."

He stroked her cheek with his thumb as he gazed into her eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked one more time.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my whole life Chuck." She replied pulling him back down to her. Her mouth crashed into his again. The two of them taking pleasure in one another. Sarah shifted her weight once again and pushed Chuck onto his back. She moved on top of him. Just as she was about to kiss him again, Chuck screamed out in pain.

"AHHHH!" his hands flew to his head.

"Chuck!"

"Ahhh God!"

"Chuck what is it?" She asked with panic in her voice.

"My head." Chuck's eyes rolled back and another series of random images flashed before him." Sarah moved off of him and moved to his side. She knew he was having a flash, but she had never seen him have one like this before. It was like it was actually painful for him.

The flash ended but the pain stayed with Chuck.

"Ahh, Sarah it hurts so bad."

Tears welled in Sarah's eyes as she watched him writhing in pain before her.

Sarah took his hand in hers, while her free hand stroked his forehead in a soothing fashion. "It's okay Chuck, I'm here."

"Sarah….What's…happening?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"I don't know Chuck…but…it's going to be okay…I promise.

Chuck squeezed her hand as tight as he could while he tried to fight through the pain that was coursing through his head.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Well, what did everyone think? Hope you found it enjoyable. Sorry for the late posting I was expecting it to be done yesterday but I struggled a little with this one and things aren't looking too great for Chapter 10. I have two pretty busy weeks ahead of me so I 'm not sure how much writing time I will be able to squeeze in, but I will definitely try. Thanks for reading; I look forward to your reviews. <strong>_


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: Okay, so it has been two weeks, finally here is chapter 10. I hope you all haven't forgotten about this, it was a rough one to right. Hope you enjoy.**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

**Chapter 10**

Chuck's eyes fluttered open; He yawned heavily and rolled onto his side to find Sarah wide awake. She was lying on her own side facing him. Her lips curled up into a smile. She hadn't slept all night; she couldn't, not after what had happened last night. Chuck had scared the hell out of her with his flash. She had never seen him in pain like that before and not knowing what was causing it or being able to do anything to help him was extremely difficult for her.

"Good morning." Chuck said offering his own smile.

"Morning." She replied.

"Have you been watching me sleep all night?"

She had. She had been so worried even though she tried not to let it show. Chuck's pain had subsided after about 15 minutes and he swore he was feeling just fine, but Sarah was so unsettled by what she had witnessed and she was afraid he might have another episode throughout the night, there was no way she could sleep. And to be honest, watching him sleep so peacefully comforted her. And you'd be surprised to know how much you can learn about someone by watching them sleep. For example, he was a grinner. Chuck would randomly break out into a grin every now and then. Sarah wasn't sure if he had been dreaming or what, but she found it amusing. He would also randomly make what she could only describe as happy sleepy sounds. What she found the most interesting though, was how content and at peace he seemed to be when he was sleeping. Normally he walked around like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, and for all she knew he did, so seeing him so relaxed put her mind at ease.

"I just woke up Chuck." She lied.

Sarah didn't want to lie to him, but she knew how Chuck was and if he knew she had sacrificed her sleep last night because she was worried about him, he would feel bad and she didn't want him to feel any worse after what had happened last night.

"You look tired, did you not sleep well?" he asked.

"I guess I'm just not much of a camper." She replied.

Chuck smiled and scooched himself closer to her and rested his hand on her arm.

"Sarah, I'm really sorry about last night. It wasn't my finest hour. I really wanted to be with you."

"Chuck it wasn't your fault." She sounded sympathetic.

He reached out with his hand and caressed her cheek with his thumb. "Last night was pretty incredible up until….well my flash."

Sarah smiled. She leaned in and pressed her lips softly against his. Their lips parted and Chuck flashed her a grin. "What was that for?" he asked.

Sarah laughed. "I told you…I like kissing you."

Chuck's smile grew. "Oh right." He said leaning back in to kiss her. Sarah moved in closer to him resting her palm on his cheek. Chuck ran his hand up her back as he continued to kiss her softly.

They pulled apart reluctantly and rested their foreheads against one another's.

"Lay with me for a while?" Chuck spoke softly into her ear. Sarah nodded her head in response.

Chuck laid back down on his back and lifted his arm, inviting her to move in closer.

Sarah slid closer to him and rested her head on his chest. Chuck brought his arm back down around her and gave her a comforting squeeze. The two laid there in silence for the next ten minutes until Sarah bolted upright.

"Did you hear that?"

"What?" Chuck looked at her with confusion as he sat up.

"Listen." She said. The two sat silently listening. A few seconds passed and they heard a light rustling sound outside the tent. Sarah reached for her gun, Chuck grabbed hold of her arm.

"Sarah what are you doing?"

She pulled her arm away from him and moved towards the opening of the tent and unzipped it.

"Chuck just…stay in the tent okay."

"Seriously?...Stay in the tent? Sarah, I thought we were passed the whole stay in the car thing, you're not my handler anymore remember."

"Chuck are we really going to do this right now? Will you please just stay in the tent until I know it's safe?"

Chuck smiled, "Well since you said please and all."

Sarah slipped outside of the tent slowly, her gun drawn as she looked around. She barely stepped foot out of the tent when she saw them.

"Uhhh Chuck." She held her gun out in front of her.

Chuck poked his head out from the tent.

"Yeah?"

"Umm…we have some company."

Chuck looked past Sarah and saw who she was referring to. Chuck smiled as he stepped out of the tent and came up behind her. A mother deer and her fawn were a mere 15 feet away from them grazing on some grass.

"Should I shoot them?" Sarah asked.

Chuck laughed until he realized she was being completely serious. "What?" He placed his hand on hers that held the gun pointed directly at their intruders and forced her to lower it. "Sarah no… They're harmless."

She looked at him uncertain.

"I swear. It's just a mama and her baby eating some breakfast."

Sarah turned her attention back to the deer. "I've never seen any so close before."

Chuck wrapped his arms around her from behind and gave her a hug. "Pretty cool huh?"

Sarah looked more closely at the deer. She had to admit, they were pretty cool. And the baby was absolutely adorable.

"Yeah." She replied. "Pretty cool."

Chuck took a step back, crushing a small twig under his foot and alerting the deer to their presence. The deer looked up and then bolted. Within seconds they were gone, disappearing into the woods.

"See Sarah, they're more afraid of us than you are of them."

Sarah stepped out of his embrace and turned to face him. "I wasn't afraid of them Chuck."

"Oh really? You could have fooled me." He smiled.

Sarah smirked at him and sauntered off towards the tent. She placed her gun back in her bag. "What do you want to do for breakfast?" she asked turning to look at him.

"There's some pop tarts in the car."

Sarah made her way over to the car. "Would you like me to get you one?" she asked looking back at him.

"Yes please." He replied with a smile.

* * *

><p>After enjoying their breakfast, Chuck and Sarah worked on picking up the camp.<p>

"So where to now?" Chuck asked packing away the last pieces of the tent.

"I want to keep heading east. I would imagine the CIA will be searching more in the larger cities, airports, train stations. It's best that we stay as far away from all of that as much as possible."

Chuck nodded in agreement. "Okay." Chuck stood up and tossed the rest of the gear into the trunk. "Well that's everything." He said closing it.

Sarah rifled through her bag of clothes. "I just need to change before we head out."

"Sure."

"What I wouldn't give for a shower right now." Sarah said taking in her appearance.

"Sarah you look fine." He said eyeing her head to toe with an appreciative smile.

"Well I don't feel fine. I feel dirty and gross."

Chuck laughed, "Well, it's no shower, but there was a nice lake about a half mile or so down that embankment over there. How about a nice refreshing swim?"

Sarah was definitely tempted but she really did want to get a move on. "Well…maybe just a quick one."

Chuck smiled. "Great." He grabbed a couple towels from the backseat of the car that they had taken with them from the safe house.

The two headed towards the embankment and made their way to the lake.

* * *

><p>Casey sat in disbelief staring at the screen in front of him. He had just finished watching the video footage from Chuck's sessions with Dr. Mansfield. Not to mention the meetings between Mansfield and Director Graham. It had all been a set up. From the time Graham had learned that Chuck Bartowski had downloaded the intersect; he had planned on turning him into the world's most lethal weapon, they were all nothing but a pawn in his game. Casey rubbed at his temples. Beckman was not going to like this one bit.<p>

He turned to his monitor and dialed up a connection with the General. He sighed heavily as her imaged appeared before him.

"Major Casey. I take it you have some information for me."

"Yes General…but, you're not going to like it."

* * *

><p>When the intersect was designed, Graham began recruiting agents of the CIA for his elite organization known as Fulcrum. Their goal was to take over the CIA from the inside out, later they would infiltrate the NSA and so on. However, Bartowski downloading the intersect was never a part of the plan<p>

Once Graham found out that the human brain could sustain such information, well at least Chuck's could, he decided to have it revamped. The original creator of the intersect, a CIA agent simply known as Orion had gone off grid some time ago. Graham had to rely on his own scientist and Dr. Mansfield for designing the 2.0. A new intersect that would take all the components of the original and import new elements that would turn the human intersect into a killing machine should the need arise.

Graham had his doubts about Bartowski though. The intersect was never meant for someone like him. Graham had intended it for his top agents. Those like Sarah Walker or Bryce Larkin, who knew what it was to be a spy. Those who put the job before everything else, but much to his dismay he ended up with his intersect being uploaded to Chuck's brain instead. A nerd herder from Burbank. It turned his stomach even thinking about it, causing him to cringe.

Graham was sure that Agent Walker was helping Bartowski. It wasn't supposed to be like this. She was supposed to be on his side. If it weren't for him, Sarah Walker wouldn't even exist. He had saved her, offered her a lifeline when she had no other options. She owed him and he planned on collecting.

* * *

><p>Chuck stood at the edge of the lake watching Sarah as she swam out to the middle. They didn't have swim suits, so she had to resort to stripping down to her undergarments. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat as he watched her disrobe.<p>

"Chuck are you coming in?" She called out to him, shaking him from his thoughts.

"Hmm?...Oh…yeah." Chuck kicked off his shoes and socks and shed himself of his shirt.

Sarah watched him from across the lake. She bit her lip when she saw his shirt come off as she eyed him up and down. She found him unbelievably attractive and incredibly sexy. Despite his tall lanky form, he was well defined, his recent workouts were evident. He turned away from her to place his clothes in a pile and stood with his back to her. She recalled her dream from yesterday and imagined what it would be like raking her nails down his strong muscular back.

Chuck unfastened the button on his jeans and slid them down his legs and stepped out of them. He stood there before her in nothing but a pair of boxer shorts. He turned to face her and she averted her gaze.

Chuck took a step closer to the lake and dipped his toe in. The water felt good, refreshing. He stepped into the water and plunged forward disappearing under the water. Sarah watched and waited for him to come up but he didn't. She couldn't see him anywhere.

"Chuck?" she called out for him, watching for him to resurface but he didn't.

She looked around frantically almost to the point of panic when he popped up behind her grabbing her waist.

"Boo!" he said.

Sarah yelled out. She turned to face him and swatted at him. "Dammitt Chuck! You scared the hell out of me."

Chuck laughed. "I'm sorry; I was just joking around with you." He stopped laughing when he saw the death glare she was giving him. "Sorry." He repeated. Chuck released his hold on her waist and created a little distance between them. His gaze fell to the water.

"Chuck?"

"Yeah?" he looked back up at her just in time to be hit with a huge splash of water. Sarah erupted in a huge roar of laughter as Chuck stood before her, water dripping from him; he looked like a drowned rat.

It took Chuck a moment to realize what had just happened. "You think that's funny?" he asked.

"Hysterical." She replied.

"Oh yeah?" he inched in closer to. Before she knew what he was doing a huge wave of water hit her straight on. Sarah lunged for him, jumping on his back she tried her best to dunk him under the water, unfortunately Chuck was quick to turn the tables on her. He grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her up over his shoulder. She tried her best to squirm out of his hold but he held her tightly.

"Chuck! Don't you dare!" she cried out. Those were the last words she got out before she came crashing down into the water. When she resurfaced, the two of them were in hysterics. Chuck moved in closer to her. He reached up to brush away the strands of wet hair that were matted to her forehead.

"Truce?" he asked as their laughing subsided, realizing their close proximity to one another.

"Truce." She replied stepping in closer to him.

Chuck's eyes fell to her lips; he wanted to kiss her so badly right now. He was just about to lean in, when Sarah took the liberty of doing it for him. She crushed her lips against his. She held his face in her hands as she kissed him fervently. Chuck's hands circled her waist and pulled her against him tightly. Despite the cool water he could feel the heat radiating from her body and he was sure she could feel it radiating from his body as well.

She ran her hands through his wet curls as his lips moved to her neck. Chuck's hands roamed over her bottom he caressed the back of her thighs. He hoisted her up and she wrapped her legs securely around his waist. Sarah ran her hands over his broad shoulders and clasped them behind his neck.

Chuck's lips moved sensually across her collar bone. She threw her head back reveling in the feel of his lips against her hot bare flesh. His name escaped her lips and he smiled.

Sarah's bra strap slid down her arm as he continued to trail kisses along her body.

"Sarah I want you so bad." The words were barely audible but she heard them clear as day. She felt the same way and wondered why she had waited so long.

She pulled back slightly allowing him to make eye contact with her. She moistened her lips with her tongue and swallowed hard. "I want you too Chuck."

He moved back in and captured her lips. He kissed her softly and sensually with as much passion as he could muster. She moaned in pleasure against his lips. His hands roamed all over her body. "Please don't stop Chuck." She pleaded with her body as she writhed in his arms. Chuck had never been so turned on in his entire life.

Sarah ran her hands over his bare chest. She kissed his neck and slowly worked her way down to his chest while Chuck combed his fingers through her wet tresses. Sarah could feel Chuck's body reacting to her touch which only turned her on more than she already was. Something she didn't even think was possible.

Their eyes met and they locked with one another's. Chuck traced Sarah's bottom lip with his thumb.

"Chuck." His name came out like a whisper. He smoothed his hand over her cheek. "I've never…felt like this before."

"Me either." He replied.

"What's happening between us?...It feels like…more than just sex."

Chuck smiled at her. "Sarah Walker…you're falling in love with me. Just like I am with you."

Sarah backed up slightly; he had gone and said it. That damn 'L' word.

"Chuck…No…I…don't fall in love…I wouldn't even know how."

Chuck laughed and Sarah looked at him with confusion. "Sarah, it's not something you learn to do…it's just… something that happens." He moved back in closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. "You don't have to be afraid of it."

Sarah had never felt more vulnerable in her entire life than she did with him right now. She rested her hands on his shoulders as she looked into his eyes. The most beautiful chocolate brown eyes she had ever seen. She leaned in and rested her forehead against his. "I've never felt so excited and yet so terrified at the same time."

Chuck pressed his lips against her forehead. "I know."

Chuck was about to lean back in to kiss her when he heard voices in the distance. Sarah heard it too. The two of them turned around to see a couple of fishermen approaching from the East side of the lake.

"Great we have company." Chuck announced.

Sarah sighed in frustration and released herself form Chuck's grasp. "Come on, I don't really want these guys to see me parading around in my underwear." Sarah said taking hold of his hand and guiding him back to the land.

Sarah grabbed one of the towels and wrapped it around her, handing the other one to Chuck. He dried off a little and wrapped the towel around his waist just as the two fishermen approached.

"Well looky here, what do we have here?" One of the men said ogling Sarah, who stood before them in her skimpy towel.

The two men seemed to disregard Chuck as they circled Sarah. Chuck knew Sarah was completely capable of handling herself in just about any situation, but that didn't mean he liked it.

"Excuse me gentlemen, we were just leaving." Sarah said trying to step past the men in her path.

"No, wait a minute." The one man, who seemed to be the ringleader, said as he placed his hand on her arm stopping her from moving. "Don't go just yet. The party is just getting started." Sarah could smell the beer on his breath and took note of the 6 pack his friend was toting along.

"Kindly remove your hand." She spoke in a firm, authoritative voice. Chuck took a few steps closer to them.

"Excuse me." He stepped in further. "I believe the lady asked you to remove your hand." Chuck chimed in.

The two burly men turned and took in Chuck's appearance. He stood before them with his lanky build dripping wet. The two men burst into laughter and gave him a shove before turning their attention back to Sarah.

Chuck stumbled backwards but caught his balance. Sarah looked past the men to see that he was okay, the anger building inside her.

"Chuck are you okay?" she asked.

Chuck looked back up at them. The man who had grabbed Sarah before was now leering at her.

"Ahhh!" Chuck grabbed his head as a sharp pain emerged. A series of fighting images ran through his head again, almost as if they were a tutorial, instructing him what to do.

"Chuck!" Sarah called out for him, concern in her voice as she watched him grab his head in pain.

The pain subsided as did the images and Chuck stood upright. He eyed the men with venom in his eyes. "We asked nicely." Chuck said moving towards the men once again.

The first of the men advanced towards him, swinging at him. Chuck caught hold of his hand with his and squeezed his fist tightly in his own. Sarah looked on in disbelief as the man fell to his knees.

"Chuck?" she questioned him.

Chuck didn't have time to respond as the second man came at him. Chuck dodged his punch and delivered a few of his own, followed by a roundhouse kick to the jaw, sending the man flying about 15 feet away where he fell unconscious on the ground.

Sarah's mouth dropped. Did that really just happen?

Chuck looked down at his hands in disbelief; did he actually just knock that guy out?

"Chuck look out!" Sarah yelled. Chuck turned just in time to be met with a large broken tree branch across his face. He fell to the ground. Sarah entered attack mode as she lunged at the man from behind. She jumped on his back and closed her hands around his neck, her towel fell to the ground in the struggle, but she was too pissed to be modest. To her surprise he was much stronger than he had appeared to be. He was able to escape her grasp in no time and send her flying through the air. Sarah was quickly on her feet again ready for him as he approached her.

"You're a feisty one aren't you?" he asked.

"You have no idea." She replied as she advanced towards him again. She delivered a right hook to his jaw followed by a left jab to the face. Causing a great deal of blood to come gushing out of his nose.

Chuck was just coming to. He looked up to see Sarah's attacker holding her in a choke hold. Chuck jumped to his feet and grabbed the man from behind he sent him flying into a tree. The man turned at him swinging but Chuck dodged every single one of them, and delivered one to match. After several blows, the man fell to the ground. Chuck jumped on top of him and continued to deliver blow after blow.

"Chuck." Sarah called out to him, her breath labored as she fought to catch it. He didn't hear her or if he did, he paid no attention. He seemed to be in his own little world.

"Chuck!" she called out, much louder this time, causing Chuck's attention to shift. He looked up at her, anger in his eyes. "Chuck stop!"

His eyes met hers and it was like a wakeup call, she had pulled him back. Chuck looked down at the man underneath him and then at his bloody hands. There was so much blood; Chuck wasn't even sure whose it was. His mouth dropped in disbelief as he jumped off the man.

Sarah moved in. "Chuck are you okay?" Chuck looked at her in disbelief.

"Sarah?...What the hell just happened?"

"I'm not sure, but we need to get out of here…now." She said looking at the two unconscious men on the ground.

Chuck nodded and picked up his clothes. Sarah grabbed her towel off the ground and wrapped it around her. The two headed off in the direction of their camp when Sarah stopped them.

"Wait a second." She said running back over to the men. She knelt down and rummaged through their pockets. She was surprised when she retrieved a government issued firearm from the one man. She dug further and pulled out some ID. "Oh my God!" Sarah made her way over to the other man, retrieved another gun and another badge from him.

"Sarah what is it?" Chuck asked coming up behind her.

"They're CIA."

"What?" Chuck asked in disbelief.

Sarah showed him the badges. Chuck's mouth dropped. "Oh my God! Sarah…What do we do now?"

"We get the hell out here." She replied. Sarah grabbed their firearms and the two of them made a beeline for the car.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay, so there you have Chapter 10. Hope you all enjoyed it. I appreciate any reviews you want to throw my way. Also I just wanted to say an extra thank you to all of you who have left me feedback or private messages for this story, they are much appreciated. <strong>_


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Okay, so I realize it has taken me a while to post (It hasn't been 2 weeks yet though and I did promise the next chapter wouldn't take two weeks so I did meet that deadline.) Truth is I have been struggling with some writer's block on this chapter. I just couldn't get the words to flow. I was able to finish it up this morning though, so I wanted to get it out to you. I hope it doesn't suck!**

**Chapter 11**

Sarah and Chuck had made it back to the car in record time. They quickly changed into some dry clothes before speeding off, neither of them saying a word about what had just happened. Sarah drove in silence for a good 15 minutes on some old country back roads before coming to a nearly hidden dirt path. She quickly veered to her right and made her way down the make shift road until the car was out of sight. Once she was happy with their position Sarah switched the ignition to off.

"Sarah? What are you doing?" Chuck asked, finally breaking the silence between them. Sarah jumped out of the car and began pacing in the nearby field.

"Sarah?" he asked again jumping out of the car.

"Chuck…I just…I need to think for a minute okay!" She looked up at him, taking note of his beaten up face, the blood still fresh. Sarah sighed heavily and made her way back to the car. She opened the door to the backseat and leaned in to retrieve a few things. She emerged with the first aid kit, a bottle of water and a towel.

"Come here." she said making her way to the front of the car. She set her supplies down on the hood of the car and waited for Chuck to join her. "Sit." She instructed. Chuck did as he was told. Sarah took hold of the towel and doused it with some water. She rung it out and began dabbing at Chuck's wounds. He flinched at the first touch.

"Sorry." She said as she continued to clean his wounds more gently. She failed to look him in the eye which didn't go unnoticed by Chuck. She appeared uneasy and distracted, like something was weighing heavily on his mind.

Chuck reached up with his hand and took hold of hers stopping it in its tracks. "Sarah stop." He took her by surprise. She looked up at him. "Talk to me."

"Chuck…I just….What the hell was that back there?" Her gaze fell to the ground.

"I don't know…Sarah I flashed and all these images just popped into my head and before I knew it…it was like they just took over my body…I could fight Sarah…And I wasn't afraid…I…I don't know what's happening to me."

Sarah looked up at him. She could tell he was scared. Truth be told, she was too. "Chuck we'll fix this. I promise."

Chuck shook his head in disbelief. "How Sarah…I couldn't even control it…it's like the flash just overtook me…if you weren't there to stop me….I could have killed him."

Sarah shook her head in protest. "No! Chuck that would never happen. You wouldn't do that. You couldn't."

"Sarah I beat that man unconscious. Did you ever think I could do that?"

"Well no, but…"

Chuck looked down at the ground in shame. It pained Sarah to see him like this. She stepped in closer taking up residence between his legs and leaned into him resting her head against his chest. "It'll be alright Chuck."

He leaned down and rested his chin on her shoulder and closed his eyes. Sarah wrapped her arms around him and held him tight.

* * *

><p>It didn't take long for the NSA to nab Dr. Mansfield and bring him in unbeknownst to Fulcrum or Director Graham. General Beckman was forming an elite team to bring in Graham; she had plans to interrogate him herself. But before they could do that they needed more evidence against him. She was just waiting on word that it was safe to move in.<p>

Mansfield was on transport back to Burbank, where Casey would interrogate him and see what else he could find out about Graham and his plans for the intersect.

Casey had left two messages for Sarah this morning and she had yet to get back to him. He was beginning to worry that perhaps Fulcrum had captured them. Picking up his phone he tried one more time. It rang about four times before going to the voice mail. He left another message before hanging up.

Casey went about preparing the holding cell. Mansfield would be there within a few hours and he expected to get some answers.

* * *

><p>Sarah was just finishing up with cleaning Chuck's wounds. His left eye was pretty swollen with a large gash over it and he had a nasty cut on his upper lip. The swelling wasn't as bad as she thought it would be considering how hard he was hit with that branch.<p>

Sarah applied a bandage to the gash above his left eye.

"Sarah is all this really necessary?" he asked.

Sarah shot him one of her death glares.

"Never mind." He replied before she had a chance to.

Sarah went about placing the last piece of tape over the bandage, her lips curling up into a smile.

"I must look pretty bad huh?" Chuck spoke again.

"I'm sure it feels worse than it looks. Does it hurt badly?"

"It doesn't feel good." He replied.

Sarah rested her palm against his cheek and caressed it softly, he winced slightly and she leaned in and pressed her lips ever so gently against his cheek. "Does that feel better?" She asked.

Chuck smiled as he placed his hands on her waist. "I think I'm going to need a lot more of those to make me start feeling better."

"Oh yeah?" She smiled as she stepped in closer and he tightened his embrace. She kissed him on the cheek again. "How's that?" she asked.

"Mmm a little better, but I'm still in quite a bit of pain." He said with a raised eye brow.

"Well we can't have that." She shook her head no and he followed suit.

"Definitely can't have that." He replied.

Sarah leaned in again, this time catching the corner of his mouth, careful not to press against the cut on his lip. Her fingers caressed his neck. "How does that feel?" she asked.

"Sarah, I don't think there's anything that a kiss from you can't fix." He pulled her into him and held her in his arms.

She rested her head against his chest. "If that was true, we wouldn't be here right now." She replied.

Sarah reluctantly pulled away. "We really need to get moving though. Those agents are going to come to any time now and when they do they're going to be looking for us. I also think it's time to switch vehicles. If the agents were able to find us they probably know what we're driving."

Chuck nodded in agreement. "We should go then." He said.

Sarah nodded and took another step back. She was about to say something when she was unexpectedly interrupted.

"Hold it right there you two!" came the grumbling voice from behind them.

The two of them turned to see a middle aged man toting a rifle that was aimed right at them. "Who are you and why are you on my property?" he grumbled.

Chuck slid off the hood of the car and stood up. "Uh, sir we…we… were just… passing through." Chuck stumbled over his words.

"You're trespassing. This is private property!" He barked back.

"Sir we meant no harm. Honestly. We'll be on our way." Sarah moved quickly to pack up the first aid kit and the other supplies that were splayed out on the hood of the car.

"What happened to you boy?" The man asked taking in Chuck's appearance.

Chuck and Sarah looked at one another.

"Well?" the man asked when neither chose to answer him.

"Just….just defending my girlfriend sir." Chuck placed his hand on Sarah's shoulder.

Sarah remained silent. Chuck had just referred to her as his girlfriend, but she wasn't sure if he was being serious or if it was all for cover. Is that what she was? His girlfriend? She hadn't been anyone's girlfriend in some time now.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the man replied.

"We just ran into some guys who were bad news is all." Sarah chimed in. "I just needed a place to pull over so I could patch him up. We'll be on our way now." Sarah walked around to the side of the car and opened the back door and tossed their supplies inside.

The man lowered his gun. "What did they do?" the man asked, curious about what happened.

Chuck walked around to the side of the car and joined Sarah. "Let's just say they don't know how to treat a lady properly." He placed his hand protectively on the small of Sarah's back.

"There's no need to rush off. Take your time. In fact, why don't you come up to the house? You two look like you could use some freshening up."

"That's not necessary." Sarah replied.

"No, no, I insist. It's the least I can do after scaring you half to death with this here gun in your faces."

Sarah and Chuck looked at each other again in a questioning manner.

"I won't take no for an answer." The man continued.

Sarah gave Chuck a slight nod of the head.

"Well we can't very well argue with that now can we?" Chuck replied.

The man walked closer to them. "The name is Henry." He said extending his hand to them. "Henry Fletcher."

Sarah was the first to extend her hand to the man. "I'm Jenny, this is my boyfriend Chu…Chad." She said correcting herself, not wanting to reveal their real names in case someone came looking for them.

Chuck extended his hand to Henry and engaged in a firm handshake with him. He then reached down for Sarah's hand and laced their fingers together as the two followed the older man down the path in the direction of his home.

* * *

><p>Director Graham walked into his office to find his private cell phone ringing incessantly. He rushed over to his desk to pick it up.<p>

"Graham." He said speaking into the receiver.

"Director."

"Collins what do you got for me?"

Collins finished helping his partner up from the ground. He dabbed at the gash on his forehead as he held his phone with the other.

"Director, we found them."

"Excellent. When can I expect you back at the complex?"

"Director, things didn't exactly go as planned." Collins spoke with hesitation.

"What do you mean?" Graham asked taking a seat behind his desk.

"We were attacked, immobilized and left unconscious…They got away sir."

"What?" He raised his voice. The anger more than evident in his tone. "I know Walker is one of the best, but I sent two of you to take them by surprise. Are you telling me that Walker was able to take you both out and escape with the intersect again?"

"Well…no sir….not exactly." Collins replied. "It wasn't Walker who attacked us."

"What? What do you mean? If it wasn't Walker then who was it?" Graham demanded.

"It was Bartowski."

Graham leaned back in his chair, disbelief washing over his face. "What?"

"It was like he was possessed; he just came out of nowhere." Collins continued. He glanced over to his partner who was still holding his side as he tried listening in on the conversation.

"He must have flashed. The 2.0 is working. Do you have any idea where they disappeared too?"

"We put a tracking device on their car. We should be able to track them."

"Good! Find them and bring them in. And watch your back, the intersect…well…you should consider him highly dangerous… Use extreme caution."

* * *

><p>"Maggie, we have company." Henry announced as he led Chuck and Sarah through the back door of the house, leading to the kitchen.<p>

Chuck and Sarah took note of the quaint little house as they followed Henry into the kitchen.

Maggie came in from the other room. "Hello." She said taking note of their guests.

"Maggie, I found these two down at the end of the drive way."

"Hi, I'm Jenny and this is Chad." Sarah chimed in. "We were just passing through; we didn't realize we were on private property here."

"Oh my goodness! What happened to you?" Maggie asked taking in Chuck's appearance.

"It seems these two ran into some trouble not far from here, got into a bit of a scuffle. I told them they could come up to the house to freshen up." Henry replied.

"Well of course. The bathroom is this way." Maggie led their guests into the other room and to the bathroom door. "There are some fresh linens in the cupboard here if you need any."

"Thank you." Chuck said as he and Sarah stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind them.

Once inside Sarah turned to face Chuck. "Chuck, we can't stay here long, we need to keep moving. Those guys aren't far from here. They could be here in no time."

"Alright, but we don't want to be rude. We'll just tell them we're in a bit of a hurry, thank them and be on our way."

Sarah nodded in agreement.

Chuck's eyes just about popped out of his head as he looked past her in the mirror over the sink. He was pretty banged up that's for sure. "Damn." he said taking in his appearance. He moved past Sarah and stepped in front of the mirror.

"Chuck it's not that bad." She tried to make him feel better.

"Not that bad? Sarah I look like I just stopped a semi-truck with my face."

"Okay, now you're being ridiculous. You have a couple bruises and some cuts Chuck. You look like you were in a fight."

Chuck sighed heavily as he stared at his appearance in the mirror. He had never been in a fight like that before. Seconds later found himself grabbing his head as another sharp pain shot through him. More images of himself flashed before him along with words he never thought would be associated with his name. Words like dangerous, killer, and mercenary. He stumbled backwards as the pain overtook him.

"Chuck!" Sarah rushed to his side as Chuck fell to his knees.

"AAhhh!" he struggled to overcome the pain as the images kept coming. Documents outlining plans of attack, covert missions all planned for Chuck.

Sarah knelt beside him, trying her best to comfort him as his flash continued. "Chuck." She held his face in her hands. "Chuck you're okay." She continued to talk to him until the images finally subsided and he came out of the flash. It was definitely longer than his normal flashes.

Chuck squinted, his hands moved to his temples and he began rubbing them. "Sarah."

"I'm right here Chuck."

Chuck opened his eyes to look at her. She knelt before him with a worried expression on her face.

"Sarah… this is bad."

* * *

><p>"Dr. Mansfield, I've been expecting you." Casey said as the guards escorted the blindfolded man into Casey's headquarters.<p>

Casey stepped closer to him and removed the blindfold.

"Who are you?" Mansfield questioned the large man who stood before him with a cigar clutched between his teeth.

"I'll take it from here." Casey said to the guards instructing them to leave.

Casey grabbed a nearby chair and plopped it down in front of his guest. "Sit." He ordered him.

Mansfield stood motionless. Casey pulled out his gun and aimed it at the man's head. "I said sit."

Mansfield slumped down in the chair. "Who do you work for?" he asked.

"I'll be asking the questions." Casey barked back at him. Mansfield just glared at him.

"Now, for starters, you're going to tell me everything you know about the intersect."

* * *

><p>Sarah sat speechless after Chuck filled her in on his latest flash. He looked terrified as the realization set in that something was terribly wrong.<p>

"Chuck we can't fix this here, we need to leave. We'll get in contact with Casey. He can talk with Beckman, get you some help." She was talking a mile a minute and he knew she was just as worried as he was.

Chuck looked up at her. The tears glistened in his eyes. "Sarah, what did they do to me?"

Sarah caressed his cheek with the palm of her hand. "I don't know Chuck…I don't know." She said as she pulled him into a hug. He rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Are you two alright in there?" came Maggie's voice along with a knock from the other side of the door.

Chuck and Sarah separated. Sarah stood up and reached for Chuck's hands. "Come on." She said, helping him to his feet. The two made their way to the bathroom door and opened it to see Maggie standing there.

"Everything alright?" she asked the young couple.

"Everything is fine." Sarah said offering a smile. "Thank you, we'll be on our way now."

"Nonsense. I have a fresh pot of coffee on. You must stay for a cup."

Sarah looked to Chuck. He gave her a reassuring smile and a slight nod of the head.

"Maybe just a quick one, we really are in a bit of a hurry."

Maggie led the two back out to the kitchen where Henry was already sitting at the table.

"Please have a seat." Maggie gestured to the table. Chuck and Sarah sat down. Maggie placed a coffee cup in front of each of them and went about pouring them each a cup. She then placed a bowl of sugar and creamer in front of them so they could help themselves.

"Thank you." Chuck replied spooning some sugar into his cup.

"Someone really did a number on you." Maggie commented. "Do you need to call the police?"

"No, that's not necessary." Chuck spoke up rather quickly.

"Be honest now son. Are you two in some sort of trouble?" Henry asked.

Chuck shared another look with Sarah before answering. "Well sir. I don't imagine the two guys who assaulted my girlfriend and attacked us are too happy with me right now. You see, as bad as my face looks, I'm afraid I did a number on them in return. I was only trying to defend my girlfriend. My guess is they're looking for us even as we speak, so I am afraid we are going have to be on our way very soon."

"Are they following you?" Maggie asked, taking a seat at the table.

"We're not sure, but we don't want to risk it, which is why we should really be going." Sarah chimed in.

"At least finish your coffee." Maggie replied.

Sarah nodded. "We have a few minutes."

Chuck and Sarah sipped at their coffee.

Maggie turned her attention to her husband Henry. "Don't they remind you of Caroline and Andrew?" she asked her husband.

"Maggie, let's not go there." Henry replied.

"Who are Caroline and Andrew?" Chuck asked, his interest definitely piqued.

Henry rolled his eyes. It seemed to be a sore subject for him.

"Well Caroline was our daughter and Andrew was her fiancé." Maggie answered.

"Was?" Sarah questioned.

"They were killed four years ago." said Maggie staring down into her coffee cup; her voice had become noticeably sad.

"That's enough Maggie. No sense in dredging up the past." Henry spoke up.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset anyone." Sarah said.

"Oh you didn't dear. It's just…well it's hard for Henry…he doesn't like to talk about it."

Henry grumbled something as he made his way over to the sink with his coffee mug.

"Caroline was away at school when it happened." Maggie smiled. "It was her senior year, she was only a month away from graduating. She would have been first in the family to graduate from college."

"What happened?" Chuck asked.

Caroline and Andrew were leaving a restaurant and they were mugged just outside walking to their car. They were killed for a wallet with $30.00 inside and an old watch.

"I am so sorry." Chuck replied.

"That's horrible. Did they ever catch the guy who did it?" Sarah asked.

"No. There were two of them, like in your case. If it had just been one of them…I'm sure Andrew could of…" her voice trailed off as her gaze fell to the floor. "They were outnumbered."

Sarah leaned closer to Maggie and placed her hand over hers in a comforting gesture. Not something she usually did, but it seemed appropriate given the situation.

The four of them made some small talk for the next five minutes while Chuck and Sarah finished their coffee.

"We really do need to be leaving now." Sarah announced standing up. Chuck nodded, took one last swig of coffee from his cup and followed suit.

"We can't thank you enough for your hospitality." Sarah continued.

"Oh dear it was no trouble at all." Maggie replied walking the two of them to the door.

The four of them stepped out the door onto the porch.

"Henry, that old pick up you got over there. I see a for sale sign on it, how does it run?" Chuck asked.

"Top notch. Why are you interested in it?"

Chuck turned his attention to Sarah.

"How much are you asking?" Sarah chimed in.

Henry smiled. Maggie was right; Sarah really did remind him of his daughter. He had to avert his gaze for fear he might lose it in front of all of them.

"Tell you what. You two can take it." Henry finally replied. Maggie smiled from the porch.

"What?" Chuck asked.

"You heard me. I don't need the money, just looking to clear up some space around here."

Henry pulled out a set of keys from his pocket and removed a large silver one from the key ring and tossed it to Chuck. "Take care of her."

"Henry we can't just take your truck. Let us give you something for it." Chuck replied.

Henry put up his hand in protest and shook his head. "You want to give me something Chad? Just keep your girl here safe."

Chuck stood in front of him silent for a moment. When he realized that Henry was being serious, his face broke out into a smile. "I will sir." He offered Henry his hand and shook it.

Sarah leaned in to give Maggie a hug to say goodbye, slipping a couple hundred dollars into her pocket. It wasn't much, but it's what they could afford and at least now they didn't have to steal another vehicle.

Chuck and Sarah finished their goodbyes and hopped into the truck. They made their way to the end of the driveway where their car was parked. The two of them got out and loaded their gear from the car to the truck.

Sarah reached into her black duffel bag and pulled out one last set of license plates and proceeded to place them on the truck. Chuck just smiled and shook his head in disbelief. She was prepared for anything. He wondered what else she had in the bag of hers.

Once finished putting the new plates on the truck, Sarah stood up. "Okay Chuck, we need to ditch the car somewhere. Are you okay to drive for a bit?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine Sarah."

"Okay, follow me in the truck and we'll find a place to stash the car."

Chuck nodded. "Okay." He watched Sarah make her way around to the driver's side of the car and hop inside. He jumped into the truck and the two pulled back out onto the road.

* * *

><p>"Are you telling me that this new intersect that you've been uploading is going to malfunction without the complete upload?" Casey was firm in his questioning. Although Dr. Mansfield had been quite cooperative, he clearly wasn't much for torture.<p>

"It's a possibility. There's no saying what might happen. The 2.0 has numerous built in features that the original didn't have. It was designed to build an army. An elite group of highly skilled spies. Untouchable by anyone. Lethal weapons if you will."

"Are you telling me that Bartowski is a trained killer? That he's dangerous? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." Casey barked back.

"During my time with him, the intersect was being suppressed until the uploads were complete. This is a new science, Graham wanted it done right. So we chose to do it in a series of uploads, so as not to….well fry his brain. Now that there has been nothing to suppress the 2.0, there's no telling what he could be experiencing. He needs to be contained."

Casey ran his hand through his hair and sighed heavily.

"Who else is working with Graham? Was everyone at that complex aware of what was going on?"

Mansfield laughed. "No, those agents were a bunch of morons. Couldn't see what was happening right in front of their own eyes."

"Where can we find a list of Graham's Fulcrum recruits?"

Mansfield was quiet.

"I asked you a question?" Casey raised his voice.

"I don't know."

Casey aimed his gun at Mansfield. "Don't start holding back on me now."

"Look I don't know. All I know is that Graham has a drawer full of external computer drives in his desk. I don't know what's on them, and that's the truth."

Casey glared at the man in front of him momentarily before walking out of the holding cell and closing the door behind him. He made his way through their secret base until he came to the monitor on the wall. He pressed a button on the control panel and General Beckman's face appeared before him.

"Major. Do you have news for me?" She asked.

"General. I think we have enough to bring Graham in." Casey said with a smile.

* * *

><p>By the time the two Fulcrum agents had come to, spoke with Graham and made it back to Chuck and Sarah's campsite they were long gone. The two men made their way back to their van and activated the tracking device they had planted on the car that Chuck and Sarah were driving, in the event that something like this would happen and they would lose them.<p>

It took a moment for the device to register on their screen.

"There." Collins said pointing to flashing dot on the monitor. "Make a right here and head east. They're not too far from here."

* * *

><p>As they came into town Sarah pulled into a parking lot of a closed down shopping plaza. She parked the car, jumped out and made her way to the truck. She came up on the driver's side and Chuck slid over to the passenger side so she could get in. She noticed that he seemed visibly run down and pale.<p>

"Chuck are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I just have a headache." He leaned his head against the passenger side window.

Sarah reached into the back and retrieved the first aid kit. She opened it and pulled out some aspirin and handed it to him with a bottle of water.

"Here. Try this."

Chuck took the items from her. He tossed the pills in his mouth and took a swig of the water.

"Why don't you try to get some rest Chuck, maybe that will help." She suggested.

"Yeah." Chuck replied. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the window.

Sarah watched him as he settled into his seat. The worry was more than evident on her face, she was glad he had his eyes closed and couldn't see it. Sarah closed her eyes and took a deep breath in an attempt to clear her head. She exhaled and put the truck into drive. As worried as she was, she knew they had to get out of there and they had to do it quick.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Well? What did you think? I appreciate any reviews you want to throw my way and thank you for your patience waiting on this chapter.<strong>_


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I just wanted to say a special thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing this story. I try to respond to all feedback I get, so for those of you who don't accept private messages I just want to say thank you, your reviews mean a lot to me.**

**Now onto the next chapter. There's not really much to say about this chapter, it's pretty self-explanatory. Hope you enjoy.**

**Chapter 12**

The middle-aged gentleman picked up the two bags of groceries and made his way up the front steps of the quaint little cabin. Once inside he placed the groceries on the kitchen counter and made his way to the bedroom.

She sat with her back to him staring intently at the computer screen in front of her. Coming up behind her, he placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek.

"I got you some fresh strawberries and that new yogurt you like." He spoke into her ear.

She didn't respond, she continued to stare at the screen in front of her.

"Honey, is everything okay?" he asked.

She finally turned to face him. "The NSA is looking for Orion."

He stood upright giving her a questioning look. "The NSA?"

"Something about the intersect." She continued.

The expression on his face went from one of confusion to one of dread. He cursed the day the idea of the intersect ever popped into his head.

* * *

><p>"Slow down up here. The monitor shows that the car stopped up here for about 35 minutes." Collins said to his partner. "There!" he pointed out the make shift road coming up on their left.<p>

His partner turned down the road and continued straight.

"Stop right up here." Collins ordered.

The driver brought the van to a stop and the two men stepped outside of the vehicle.

"There's nothing here, just a dirt road and a field." The driver commented as he walked around the vehicle.

Collins walked a few feet away from the vehicle and took in his surroundings. Noticing something on the ground, he took a few steps towards it and bent down to retrieve it.

"What is it?" his partner asked making his way over to him.

Collins held up the wrapper from a gauze bandage. "They must have stopped to tend to his wounds. Come on, there's nothing here, let's keep moving."

"Hold it right there you two!" came the grumbling voice from behind them.

The two of them turned to see a middle aged man toting a rifle that was aimed right at them. "Who are you and why are you on my property?" he grumbled.

* * *

><p>Chuck and Sarah had been back on the road for some time now. Chuck appeared to be sleeping comfortably in the passenger's seat as Sarah drove. Traffic was beginning to pick up as she drove through more heavily populated areas.<p>

Sarah pulled the truck to a stop as they came to a red light. She shifted her attention to the man sleeping in the seat next to her. She had been struggling to come off as cool and collected in front of him, but the truth was she was a nervous wreck inside. Her mind was racing. So much was happening and so fast.

They never got to finish their conversation down by the lake. She was feeling so many things, fear being the predominant of those at the moment. Chuck had accused her of falling in love, but now that she had time to actually comprehend what he had said, he also said he was in love with her, not in so many words.

Sarah could feel the tears forming in her eyes. No one had ever felt that way about her before or at least no one had ever told her that before. Not for real anyway. Sure during missions you say things, you do things you wouldn't normally do. Whatever it takes to complete the mission. But with Chuck, it was different. Everything was different with him.

Not only was she afraid of this growing attraction to him and the intense feelings, but right now she was afraid for his well-being. Whatever was going on with him, it was something she couldn't fix.

Sarah's cell phone began to ring. Realizing she hadn't checked either of her phones in some time now, she took the opportunity while the truck was still stopped at the light to reach into her bag and retrieve both of her phones. The phone ringing was her regular phone, she flipped it over to see Ellie's name displayed on the screen. Sarah debated answering it. Ellie was a doctor; surely she would know what to do for Chuck.

No. What was she thinking? She would be putting Ellie in danger. Nothing was more important to Chuck than his family and friends. He had always made it very clear that he wanted them kept out of all this spy stuff.

Sarah allowed the call to go to her voicemail. She had to admit, she did feel bad about not answering Ellie's calls, but since she was on the lam with Chuck she just couldn't risk the calls being traced. Not until this mess was cleared up with Graham and Fulcrum.

Sarah checked her other phone while she had it out. She had two messages from Casey. Sarah punched in her password and put the phone up to her ear just as the traffic light turned green. She moved along with the traffic as she listened to her messages.

The first message, Casey just asked her to call him back. It was the second message that really caught her attention. Sarah's mouth dropped as she listened to Casey go into detail about what he had learned about Chuck. He told her about Chuck's sessions with Dr. Mansfield and Graham's plans for Chuck. Sarah felt physically ill. The more she listened, the sicker she felt. How could they do that to Chuck? He was the kindest, most compassionate, gentle soul she had ever met. He had done great things for this country. There was nothing about him she would ever classify as being less than extraordinary.

Sarah pulled over to the side of the road and jumped out of the truck. She made her away around to the front and continued towards the passenger side of the vehicle. She climbed over the guard rail and walked about 15 feet before she purged herself of her morning pop-tart and coffee.

Once she had rid herself of her breakfast, it was then that the panic began to really set in. She found herself short of breath. Sarah dropped to her knees as she gasped for air. The seconds may as well have been minutes as she struggled to breathe. It felt as if a concrete slab was weighing down on her chest.

Chuck's eyes fluttered open. Waking up, he sat upright in his seat. Realizing that the truck was no longer moving he shifted his attention to the driver's seat only to find it empty. "Sarah?" he was still a tad groggy as he called out for her. Looking around, Chuck spotted her out his window. Seeing her on her knees, her shoulders convulsing, he knew immediately something was wrong. Chuck jumped out of the truck and rushed towards her.

"Sarah!" He came up behind her, resting his hand on her shoulder as he bent down beside her. "Are you okay?"

Sarah turned and looked up at him, still gasping frantically for air. "Ch…uck."

"Sarah what's wrong?"

She looked up at him with pleading eyes. "C…c…an..t…brea…the."

Chuck dropped down to his own knees. "Just relax Sarah. Take deep breaths. Try to slow your breathing down." He rubbed soothing circles on her back trying to calm her.

Sarah tried her best to do as he said.

"That's it." Chuck instructed.

Sarah turned to face him. The tears glistened in her eyes. She grabbed onto his t-shirt and clung to him as if he were her lifeline. He pulled her in close and she rested her cheek against his chest.

After a couple of minutes Sarah's breathing was beginning to return to normal.

"You feel better?" Chuck asked brushing the hair from her face. Sarah nodded.

"What was that? A panic attack?" he asked.

Sarah pulled away from him and the two separated. "I haven't had one of those since I was eighteen years old." She said looking down at the ground.

Chuck reached out with his hand. Cupping her face, he caressed her cheek with his thumb. She looked up and met his eyes with hers.

"Did they happen often?" he asked.

"Every now and then." she replied.

"So what brought this one on?" he asked.

Sarah averted his eyes and pulled away from him. "I don't know." She said standing up.

Chuck jumped to his feet as well. "Well something must have caused it Sarah." He continued.

"I don't know Chuck!" she snapped back.

Sarah immediately felt bad when she saw the hurt expression on his face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I know you're just trying to help…I'm just…I'm just kind of stressed is all."

"You know, you can talk to me…It might help."

She turned to face him. "Chuck…you know I've never been one to talk much about my feelings."

Chuck sighed. "I know…We should change that." She looked up at him, surprised by his words.

"You want to change me?" she asked.

"No, not at all. I just want to help you. I don't like seeing you like this...on edge."

Sarah smiled. "I'm fine Chuck."

He looked at her in disbelief.

"Really." She tried her best to sound reassuring. "Come on. We've wasted enough time here, we should keep moving." Sarah started back towards the truck. Chuck hesitated briefly before following her. He was determined to get her to open up to him. To trust him completely.

* * *

><p>"General, I don't understand. Why don't we just bring in Graham now?"<p>

"Because Major. I don't want to alert Fulcrum of his capture. We need to get in to his office and obtain these files first. I don't want to just bring down Graham. I want to bring down all of Fulcrum."

"And how exactly are we going to get into a CIA base and into the Director's office?"

"I have a good CIA contact that may be able to help I'm just waiting to hear back from him."

"Any news on this Orion?" Casey asked.

"We're trying to track him down. There isn't much to go on. He stays off grid. He won't be easy to find. Have you gotten anything more out of Mansfield?"

"He's told me everything he knows."

"I'll send a team to retract him and transfer him to one of our holding facilities; have him ready to go within the hour."

"Yes General."

"Have you heard from Walker yet?"

"No General. I've left her messages but she has yet to return my call."

Beckman sighed heavily. "Alright well, keep me updated once you hear back from her."

"Yes General."

Beckman ended their connection and Casey was left staring at a blank screen. His thoughts returned to his former team and he wondered if they were alright.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe how much time we lost back there with that old man." Collins growled at his partner as they continued down the road.<p>

"The monitor is showing that the car has stopped. Looks like maybe just another mile or two up the road here. We can surprise them."

"Don't mess this up. If they get away again, Graham is not going to be happy."

The two agents continued to follow the blip on their radar. Five minutes later they found themselves pulling into what appeared to be an abandoned shopping complex. The car could be seen in the distance.

They brought the van to a screeching halt and jumped out with their guns drawn. They circled the car, each of them taking a side only to find the car empty.

"Dammitt!" Collins exclaimed.

The two men went about searching the vehicle. Unfortunately for them Chuck and Sarah had taken pretty much anything that might be of importance with them, leaving behind no clues as to where they may have been heading.

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Hours later)<strong>_

Chuck and Sarah were making pretty good time. They had crossed the state boarder about an hour a go and were making their way through Northern Idaho at a steady pace.

"We need to stop up here for gas. Are you hungry?" Sarah asked breaking the silence between them.

"I could eat." Chuck replied.

Sarah pulled the truck into the gas station and hopped out. It didn't take her long to fill the tank. The two decided to stop in for some food at a small diner across the street from the gas station.

The two sat across from each other in a booth as they waited in silence for their food to come. Sarah looked over a new map that she had purchased at the gas station, trying to decide on the best route to take.

"Sarah?"

"Hmm?' she replied without looking up from the map.

"Sarah is everything okay? I mean…well, you've been…really quiet since this morning."

Sarah finally looked up at him. Everything was definitely not okay. She had yet to tell him about her message from Casey. She didn't want to worry him, but she didn't want to lie to him either.

"Is it because of what I said this morning at the lake?" Chuck continued.

Great, Sarah thought. He had to go and bring that up, as if she didn't have enough on her mind.

"We didn't really get to talk about it since we were interrupted."

Of course Chuck wanted to talk about it. He wanted to talk about everything, that was Chuck for you. He couldn't just let it go.

"Sarah I didn't mean anything by it. I know you don't want some serious relationship right now. The love thing, it just came out you know. I never meant to make you feel uncomfortable or pressure you." He continued with his rambling.

"Chuck." She tried to intervene but he was on a tangent.

"I will take things as slow as you want. I just don't want to mess this up Sarah."

"Chuck." She tried again.

He reached out and covered her hand with his. "I just don't want this to end."

"Chuck!"

She finally got his attention. He looked up and met her eyes with his.

"Look. I'll admit, what you said earlier about me falling in love…It freaked me out a little."

"Sarah I'm sorry, I just…"

"Chuck stop!...Please….just let me finish."

Chuck sighed heavily. "Sorry."

Sarah took hold of his hand and held it in hers. "Like I was saying, it did freak me out and I know that wasn't your intention. The truth is, it's not so much what you said that freaked me out, it was more what I was feeling than anything else. These feelings are new for me, and I'm just trying to figure things out." She ran her thumb over his hand, caressing him. "I don't want this to end either."

Chuck smiled at her and she smiled back in response. Chuck brought her hand up to his lips and placed a kiss on it. "Good." He replied as the two of them gazed into one another's eyes.

"Here you are." The waitress chimed in, placing their dinners down in front of them, followed by Sarah's water and Chuck's chocolate milkshake.

Chuck and Sarah released one another's hands and sat upright in their seats.

"Can I get you anything else?" the waitress asked.

"No thank you. We're all set." Sarah replied.

Chuck picked up his cheeseburger and took a big bite while Sarah toyed with the food on her plate.

"Chuck. There's something else." She was quiet and seemed withdrawn.

Chuck placed his food back down on his plate and wiped at his face with his napkin. "This sounds serious."

"It is."

"Sarah, you're kind of freaking me out here."

"That's just it Chuck. I don't want you to freak out over this. I don't want you to worry."

"Sarah just tell me."

Sarah took a deep breath and exhaled before continuing. "Casey brought in Dr. Mansfield."

"The doctor who was treating me in the bunker?"

"Yeah."

"And?"

"Chuck…they've been uploading a newly enhanced intersect in your brain. They call it the 2.0. It's supposed to give you all these new abilities…Like the fighting… Chuck, they want to turn you into some sort of super spy. A mercenary. They were transforming you into the world's most lethal weapon."

"What? Sarah, that's crazy."

"Chuck. I know how it sounds, but it's true. They were using the hypno therapy to complete the upload a little at a time. They were using subliminal techniques to suppress it through video games and DVDs, which is why you didn't flash when you were in the bunker."

Chuck sat there in disbelief. As if having the intersect in his head wasn't bad enough. "Why are they doing this me Sarah?"

"I don't know Chuck."

"They're turning me into a killer. If you didn't stop me today I would have killed those agents."

"I don't believe that."

Chuck looked at her with confusion.

"Chuck you're not a killer. No matter what they do to you…you're just… not."

"Why am I getting these headaches and these jumbled up images?"

"According to Mansfield, the uploads were never completed. He said there's no telling what kind of side effects that could cause."

Chuck buried his face in his hands.

"Look Chuck, Casey and Beckman are already on this. They are going to find a doctor or someone that can help. Mansfield told Casey about this agent that goes by the name of Orion….Chuck…he invented the intersect."

Chuck looked up when he heard this. "What?...Sarah…if he invented it….then he knows how it works…maybe… maybe he can remove it."

"Maybe." She tried to sound positive.

"You're worried…Sarah…is this 2.0 harming me?"

"I don't know Chuck. These flashes…they're so different."

"Sarah, I'm fine. Maybe I won't even have any more flashes. I'll just steer clear of mirrors." He said trying to make a joke.

Sarah looked down at the table averting his eyes.

"Come on Sarah, this could be a good thing. Casey and Beckman will find this Orion person and he'll fix this."

Sarah nodded. She looked back up with a smile. "You're right Chuck. There's no reason to worry."

* * *

><p>"Devon, I'm worried. First Chuck now Sarah. She hasn't answered or returned any of my calls in nearly 4 days." Ellie said as she turned down the bed covers and slipped in beneath the sheets.<p>

Devon climbed in the bed beside her. He had to admit, he was a tad worried himself. Chuck and Sarah had been gone for almost two months now, but he trusted Chuck and he knew Chuck would never intentionally hurt Ellie, so if he wasn't contacting her he must have had his reasons. And let's face it, Ellie could be a tad assertive, maybe Sarah just needed some time to herself. Surely the break up was just as hard on her as it was on Chuck.

"Come on babe. You worry too much. Maybe she's just out of range, maybe her phone is broken or maybe she's just been busy. She'll call you back when she can." He leaned in and kissed his fiancé on the cheek. Ellie rolled her eyes.

"I think maybe you could use a distraction." He moved in closer and brushed the hair off her neck replacing it with his lips.

Ellie smiled. "Honey it's late, we have an early shift in the morning."

"Mmm…I…know." He pulled away briefly to look at her. Reaching out with his hand he slipped his finger underneath the strap of her negligee. "We should probably skip the foreplay then." He said with a grin.

Ellie's lips curled up into a smile and she leaned in and pressed her lips against his. Devon pressed her down against the mattress as he kissed her passionately. He reached out with his arm and shut the light on their nightstand without ever breaking the kiss.

* * *

><p>Chuck and Sarah had driven for a few more hours. Sarah had intended on driving through the night but she thought it might be more beneficial for Chuck if he rested for the night. He would deny it, but she knew he still had a head ache and he looked a bit pale.<p>

Seeing a motel up ahead she decided to pull in. Chuck, who had been sleeping in the passenger seat, woke up when the truck came to a stop.

"We're stopping?" he asked with a yawn.

"I thought it might be for the best." Sarah fished through her bag and pulled out a black baseball cap. She tucked her hair up in it and placed it on her head. "Stay here while I check in." she ordered.

Chuck watched her exit the vehicle and make her way inside the office. He leaned his head back against the seat. It felt heavy and to be honest he felt like he had been hit by a truck, of course he wouldn't tell Sarah that.

Minutes later Sarah emerged from the office with a key in her hand. She hopped back in the truck and pulled around to the side of the motel to park.

The room was nothing special that's for sure. But it had a bed and right now all Sarah could think about was a hot shower and a clean mattress, both of which the room had.

"Do you want to take a shower?" She asked him. Sarah saw him out of the corner of her eye throwing back a couple more aspirins.

"Actually, I think I'm just going crash, I'm pretty beat." He said.

"Okay." Sarah grabbed a change of clothing and headed into the bathroom.

* * *

><p>"General, you do realize that if you are wrong about all this, and this agent gets caught, their career and life will virtually be over?"<p>

"Johnson I understand, but I can assure, our Intel is rock solid. Once we have this last piece of the puzzle, Graham is finished. He won't have a leg to stand on."

"I'll try to get someone in there tomorrow, I'll have to check Graham's schedule, make sure he's not around."

"Excellent. And Johnson, I know I don't have to tell you that discretion is imperative on this one."

"I understand. Oh and Diane."

"Yes."

"You owe me." Johnson replied.

"I know." She responded before ending their connection. "I know."

* * *

><p>As enjoyable as the hot shower was, she made it quick. She didn't want to leave Chuck alone for too long. Sarah dried off and tossed on a clean pair of shorts and a tank top. She walked out of the bathroom to find Chuck already in bed. He had stripped down to a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. Sarah hopped up on the bed and knelt beside him.<p>

"Chuck." She called out to him but he didn't respond. She reached out with her hand and ran her fingers gently through his hair.

"Goodnight Chuck." She whispered as she leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips. She leaned across him to shut off the lamp.

Sarah settled down beside him in the bed. The bed felt good after last night. Sleeping on the hard ground, not that she really got much sleep.

Sarah rolled onto her side to face him. It pained her to think what this new intersect may be doing to him. Sarah slid closer to him and rested her head on his chest and draped her arm over him. "Please be okay Chuck…Please…just be okay."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay so reading this I realize this chapter was kind of lacking in the action but I promise the next chapter should have some interesting things coming your way. As always I appreciate any and all reviews. Thanks for reading.<strong>_


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Okay so real life has caught up with me big time lately, hence the delays in updates. This chapter is a bit shorter than usual but I wanted to get something out to you all. Hope you enjoy it. As always thank you to all who have been reading and reviewing this story. I appreciate every one.**

_**Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own Chuck **_

**Chapter 13**

Chuck woke to the sunlight streaming through the blinds. He squinted and adjusted his head to the side in an effort to dodge the bright beams of light that were currently blinding him. His next thought was to pull the covers up over his head but as he reached for them he was met with the warm body of one Sarah Walker pressed up against him. Her arm draped over him protectively as she slept.

Chuck's sudden movements along with the illumination of the room must have jostled her awake. Chuck gently caressed her back with his hand. He leaned in closer and took in her scent. Sarah stirred in his arms and her eyes fluttered open.

It took her a minute to fully awake. When she did she took another moment to take in her surroundings. The clock on the night stand read 6:42am. They didn't get many hours of sleep but she felt more rested than she had in the past two days. Chuck brushed some hair from her forehead and she turned to look up at him.

"Morning." he greeted her with a smile.

Sarah smiled. She pulled away and blushed over their close proximity and current position.

"Good morning." she offered shyly.

"Something wrong?" Chuck asked, taking note of her red cheeks and bashful demeanor.

"No. nothing's wrong."

"Then what are you doing way over there?" he asked. Reaching for her hand he pulled her back down to him. She came crashing into his chest, resting her body against his. Chuck brushed the hair from her face once again and caressed her cheek with the palm of his hand. Sarah gazed lovingly into his chocolate orbs before leaning in to kiss him.

The kiss was soft and sensual. Sarah's hand moved to his face, Seconds later she found herself pulling back. Chuck looked at her with questioning eyes.

"Chuck you're so hot."

Chuck smirked. "You're pretty hot yourself." He leaned back in to capture her lips once more but she cut him short and pulled away retreating to a sitting position on the bed. Her hand moved to his forehead. "No, Chuck...you're burning up."

"What?" he asked bringing his hand up to feel his own forehead.

"You have a fever." She continued.

Taking a closer look now that she was a little more alert, Sarah took note of his t-shirt that was extremely damp with sweat. "Chuck." the worry was more than evident in her voice.

Chuck looked down at his appearance. "Okay so maybe I do have a little fever."

"Little? Chuck, your forehead is on fire." Sarah jumped up from the bed and made her way across the room. She retrieved the bottle of aspirin from Chuck's bag. Sarah popped open the bottle only to find that there were only two pills left. She grabbed a bottled water from their bags and returned to the bed. She handed Chuck the pills and opened the bottle for him. "Here, take these." she instructed.

Chuck humored her and tossed the pills to the back of his throat. Sarah handed him the water bottle and he washed them down.

"Those were the last two; we should probably stop for more."

"I'm fine Sarah." Chuck laid back against the pillow.

"Chuck we need to bring your fever down. Maybe you should take a bath or something. That's what my grandmother would always have me do when I was a kid and running a temperature."

Chuck looked at her like she was crazy. "Sarah, you want me to take a bath in some cheap motel bath tub? What do you want me to get hepatitis?" he said jokingly.

"Chuck."

"Sarah, I'm fine. I'll just take a quick shower." Chuck swung his legs off the bed and sat up. As soon as he did he felt the whole room spinning. He grabbed his head and fell back against the mattress.

"Chuck!"

"I'm okay; I'm just a little dizzy is all."

"Here, just lay down."

Chuck lifted his legs back up on the bed and adjusted himself. Sarah ran towards the bathroom, returning as quickly as possible with a few cold washcloths.

She made her way over to Chuck's side of the bed and sat down. Chuck laid there with his eyes closed.

Sarah yanked at the bottom of his t-shirt and began to pull it up over his chest. Chuck's eyes shot open.

"Sarah what are you doing?" he questioned.

"Chuck I made some cold compresses for you. You have to take this off. Help me."

Chuck sat up slightly and assisted Sarah in removing his shirt. Once he had shed himself of the drenched material, he laid back against his pillow. Sarah wiped at his face with one of the cloths. She dabbed at his cheeks and then his forehead, leaving the cool washcloth there to rest.

She reached for the second cloth and began applying it to his neck and slowly working her way down towards his chest. Chuck watched her intently as she continued to care for him.

"Sarah."

She looked up, surprised when she heard him say her name.

"Yeah?"

He reached out for her free hand and laced his fingers with hers. "Thank you."

* * *

><p>"Sam what if I get caught? I'll be arrested and never work again. I'll be facing life in prison for treason."<p>

"Relax Sabrina. From what I hear the NSA has concrete evidence against Graham, this is just the missing piece of the puzzle. You would be helping bring down the whole Fulcrum organization… You can do this Sabrina."

"And what if I can't? I gave up everything for the CIA. My family, my life. I wanted to make a difference. If I get caught, then I gave up everything… for nothing."

"Sabrina, I know what you gave up, but I believe in you. I know you can do this. This is important. Lives are at stake here. Fulcrum must be taken down and I know you are the right person for the job."

"Okay, Okay." she finally conceded. "I'll do it."

"Wonderful. Now what does Graham's schedule look like for today?"

"He's supposed to be here at the compound this morning and then he should be heading back to Langley later today."

"Perfect. Now we just have to figure out how to get you into his office."

* * *

><p>"Walker, it's about time you checked in. I was beginning to think the CIA captured you."<p>

"No, but we did have a minor run in with a couple of agents." Sarah spoke quietly. Chuck was resting and she had managed to sneak off into the bathroom to call Casey back.

"Are you being tailed?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. I think we lost them. That's kind of the least of our problems right now."

"What's wrong?"

"It's Chuck. This whole thing with the new uploads...I don't know Casey, there's something wrong with him. The intersect is not working right. He keeps having these weird flashes that don't make any sense to him. He beat up the two CIA agents. He keeps getting these horrible headaches and now he is running a really high fever. I'm worried about him. I don't even want to move him right now."

"Wait. What? Did you say he beat up two CIA agents?" Casey asked in disbelief.

"Yes."

"Chuck Bartowski?"

"Yes Casey. It's the intersect. It's giving him all these new abilities he never had before...He's sick John...he needs help."

Casey sighed heavily. "Well, Beckman is working out some last minute details on apprehending Graham. Once he's in custody I'll come and get you two. If I bring you, you'll be protected; any other agent has orders to bring you in dead or alive."

"Casey, I don't know how much longer Chuck can wait. Any word on Orion?"

"Not yet, I'll let you know the moment we do though. You need to answer your phone."

"Sorry I was a little busy, trying not to get killed."

Casey grunted. "Alright, well it's probably not a good idea for you to stay idle for too long. See if you can't get Chuck up and going, hit the road."

"I know Casey, I'll try. I just don't want to make him any worse than he already is."

* * *

><p>General Beckman was just finishing up going through the latest reports on her desk when her computer screen began to flicker.<p>

"What the...?" She gave it a tap on the side. The screen went black. Beckman stared at the screen. All of a sudden the letters began to appear, as if someone were sitting there typing it out.

_**General Beckman? **_Appeared on the screen in front of her.

She looked around the room. "Yes." her voice barely audible.

_**You are looking for me. **_Came across the screen.

Beckman looked at the screen in disbelief. Did her computer actually just answer her?

"Who are you?" Okay I must be losing my mind she thought. I'm talking to a computer.

_**Orion.**_

Beckman's breath caught in her throat. "Orion?"

_**Yes.**_

Beckman hesitated before continuing. Then she recalled her conversation moments ago with Major Casey. He had finally made contact with Agent Walker. Things were much worse than they had anticipated. Chuck's health was at stake. Beckman swallowed the large lump that had formed in her throat.

"Orion...we need your help."

* * *

><p>"I cannot believe you two morons lost them again." Graham barked into the phone.<p>

"It's not our fault. How were we supposed to know they were going to ditch the car? I'm sure we'll get another lead soon. They couldn't have gotten very far." Collins replied.

"You have 24 hours to find them or I'm extracting you back to Langley and sending in replacements. And trust me when I tell you, you don't want that to happen."

"Yes Director." Collins replied before Graham violently tossed down his phone.

Graham threw the last of his files into his briefcase and slammed it closed. He grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair with one hand and the briefcase with the other. He made his way out of his office and locked the door behind him.

Graham gave the agent standing guard outside his door a nod of acknowledgement and bid him good day as he made his exit.

Sabrina watched from around the corner as Graham disappeared down the hallway and out of sight. Her attention then shifted to the agent guarding Graham's office.

She sighed heavily. "Here goes nothing." She said pulling out her tranq gun. She aimed and fired hitting him in the neck with her dart. She watched as he stumbled backwards against the wall and slowly slid down to the ground in his unconscious state.

Sabrina made her way over to the door. Fortunately for her this wasn't Graham's main office. It was the makeshift office that was established for him here at the underground compound where Chuck had been held. Because of that security wasn't as tight as it typically would be. Graham didn't spend much time there so the high tech control panel wasn't necessary. The one outside his door was your basic control panel, no retina scans, no fingerprint scan, just your simple ID card swipe. Fortunately for Sabrina she was a whiz at bypassing these panels and had the door open in no time.

She quickly made her way over to Graham's desk and went straight for the drawer that these so called computer drives were supposed to be in. Not to her surprise, the drawer was locked. Being the lock picking master mind that she was, she had the drawer open within seconds. She quickly rummaged through Graham's belongings. The first thing she came across was a file labeled _**Intersect 2.0.**_ She opened it up and scanned the pages quickly. Her eyes wide with disbelief as she read more and more. There was a second file in the drawer labeled _**Chuck Bartowski**_. Sabrina opened the cover and began to read.

"Oh my God…Chuck." Her mouth dropped to the floor. She grabbed both folders and tucked them inside her jacket. Her attention then went to the 5 computer drives sitting in the bottom of the drawer. Sabrina shoved them in her pockets and then took a few minutes to make sure she wasn't leaving behind any evidence of her being there.

As she discreetly exited Graham's office, she pulled out her gun and delivered three more tranq darts to the agent on the ground. She wanted to make sure he was out for a while to ensure more time to get the evidence she acquired to this General Beckman that Agent Johnson had spoken of.

Once Sabrina was satisfied with her work she quickly made her way down the hall and exited the compound.

* * *

><p>Chuck had finally woken after a two and half hour nap. He still felt a tad warm but his temperature had definitely gone down significantly during that time.<p>

"Sarah, I'm fine." He insisted sitting upright on the bed. "Let me just take a quick shower and we can be out of here."

"Chuck are you sure you're alright, you were pretty out of it earlier?" she asked.

Chuck looked up and gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. But I could really use a shower."

Chuck stood up slowly from the bed and steadied himself. He made his way across the room and rummaged through his bag for some clean clothes.

"I'll be quick." He said heading towards the bathroom.

Sarah watched him step foot into the bathroom. "Chuck." She called out to him.

Chuck turned to look at her. "Yeah?" he asked.

"Don't look in the mirror okay."

Chuck smirked at her. "Okay." He said closing the door.

Sarah sighed heavily and sat down on the edge of the bed. She ran her hands frustratingly through her hair as she contemplated her next move.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Alright, so a little more progress with this one, we are getting there I promise. All reviews are greatly appreciated. As always, thanks for reading.<strong>_


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Okay so another short update, but at least it's an update. I didn't want to go over a week without giving you something. Hope you enjoy it. Oh and for anyone who may have been confused with the character of Sabrina in the last chapter and how she was affiliated with Chuck, she was one of the agents that worked at his underground bunker. Also I don't think I got to thank everyone personally for their reviews on the last chapter so I just wanted to say thank you to all of those who have been following this story and posting reviews. I appreciate every single one of them. That said, enjoy the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own Chuck.**

**Chapter 14**

Chuck watched as Sarah quickly made her way across the street and back towards the truck. They had made a quick stop at a drug store in town so she could grab some more aspirin for Chuck, despite his claims of feeling fine now.

Sarah hopped in behind the driver's wheel and handed Chuck the small brown paper bag. "Why don't you take a couple now." She suggested.

"Sarah, I'm fine." He replied.

"Chuck you still have a fever. I know it's not as high as it was but you still have one."

Chuck opened the bag to find an assortment of aspirins, pain relievers and fever reducers.

"Geez Sarah what did you did buy out the store?" he asked with a smirk.

"Hardly." She snickered. "Just take your medicine."

Chuck smiled as he chose one of the pill bottles from the bag. He opened it and tossed a couple pills to the back of his throat and took a swig from his water bottle.

"So where to now Sarah?" he asked.

Sarah sighed heavily at his question.

"What?"

"Chuck I have no plans. Nothing about this mission has gone the way it was supposed to."

Chuck reached out and placed his hand on hers. "Is that all this is? A mission?" he asked a look of hurt on his face.

His words took her by surprise. She turned in her seat to face him.

"Chuck…I made you a promise…I told you I would save you and that's exactly what I plan on doing, no matter what…I'll do whatever I need to do to keep you safe…This is more than a mission for me. I'm keeping a promise."

"I hate that you put yourself at risk for me. Your career, your whole life is on the line here Sarah."

"Chuck let me worry about that okay."

"But you don't Sarah. Someone has to worry about you." He said with a smile, he brought his hand up to her face and gently lifted her chin to look at him. "I'll always worry about you." He slowly leaned in and brushed his lips gently against hers.

Sarah closed her eyes and allowed herself to give in to his touch. She slid closer to him and wrapped her arms around him falling into his embrace. "No one has ever cared before Chuck. Why do you?"

He pulled away enough to look into her eyes. Reaching out with his hand, he brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear as she looked up at him with those hypnotic blue eyes that just melted his heart. He knew he had to be careful with his choice of words here so as not to scare her off.

"I care. I need you to be safe Sarah. If anything ever happened to you because of me…I'd never forgive myself." He replied.

He leaned back in and gave her a peck on the lips. As he pulled away she fell back into his arms once again and relished in the feel of his embrace.

* * *

><p>"Thanks Sam, I owe you. Tell Agent Andrews we appreciate her work on this project." General Beckman spoke into the monitor.<p>

"Yes well Sabrina may be a novice spy, but she has a few good years of training under her belt. I knew when I came across her at the academy a few years back that she would be a great asset to the country one day." Johnson replied.

"Well she is well on her way to just that. I imagine she could be as good as your Agent Walker someday." Beckman replied.

Sam smiled. "Yes, I believe with the right kind of training she could be."

"Well perhaps when this is all over with I can work with her. That is if the CIA is willing to share."

"Perhaps something can be worked out. Good luck with Graham Diane. I'll be in touch." Johnson said ending the conversation.

Beckman smiled as she picked up her phone. She waited patiently for her agent to pick up.

"General?" Casey's voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Major, it's time." She said as the corners of her mouth rose forming into a smile.

* * *

><p>Chuck and Sarah had driven well into the evening hours stopping only briefly for food and bathroom breaks. Chuck had been in and out of consciousness all day long. His temperature seemed to be all over the place. He was tired and appeared to be weaker as the day went on.<p>

Sarah yawned heavily as she fought to keep her eyes open. Unable to fight it any longer, Sarah pulled off to the side of the road.

"Everything okay?" Chuck asked.

"I'm tired." She replied.

"You want me to drive for a while?" he asked.

"Chuck, you're in no shape for driving."

He couldn't argue with that. He didn't feel good and judging from the look on Sarah's face, he looked even worse. "You're probably right."

Sarah reached over to feel his forehead. He was warm again. "Your fever is back."

"I know." He replied turning to look away from her. "My head hurts." He admitted.

"You should take some more aspirin." She reached for the glove compartment to retrieve the pill bottle.

Chuck reached out with his hand to stop her. "Sarah. It's…It's not working anymore."

"Chuck we have to try." She pleaded with her eyes. "Please."

Chuck sighed and gave her a nod. Sarah opened the glove box and retrieved the bottle. Chuck took the pills while Sarah looked on. He could tell she was worried about him and Sarah Walker didn't worry about anything.

"Sarah I'm really sick. I'm not getting better." He spoke breaking the uncomfortable silence between them.

"Chuck you'll be fine."

"If you have to worry about taking care of me, you're going to slip up, you're going to get caught Sarah. I'm holding you back." He argued.

"Chuck what are you saying?" She looked at him with questioning eyes.

He took her hand into his. "Look the CIA is looking for us. They want me alive, but you….They'll do what they need to take you down Sarah. You have a chance to get away…without me." He gently stroked her hand.

Sarah pulled her hand away from him abruptly. "What?" her voice was raised. "Chuck what are you saying?" She was yelling now.

"Sarah, you have a good chance on your own. I'm just holding you back. I want you to leave me."

"Are you crazy? I'm not leaving you to save myself Chuck. I'm going to help you, no matter what."

"Sarah…you can't help me anymore, but I can help you."

If there was one thing you never did, it was tell Sarah Walker that she couldn't do something. Chuck realized this mistake a little too late. Sarah jumped out of the truck and slammed the door, leaving Chuck to himself.

Chuck opened his door and staggered out of the truck. He made his way around to the back of the vehicle where he found Sarah resting against the tailgate.

"Sarah…I'm sorry." He started.

She turned to look at him. "Chuck, its fine. I didn't mean to yell, I just…I'm tired okay."

"I know you are. All of this has to be exhausting for you. I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's not your fault. I'm just not myself right now. Like I said I'm tired." She said turning to face him.

Chuck wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in closer to him. He pressed his lips against the side of her head. "Then come get some sleep." He suggested.

She turned and met his eyes with hers.

"Come on." He continued. "I'll even let you use me as a pillow." He smiled causing a small one to form on her face as well.

Chuck guided Sarah back to the truck and they both climbed back inside closing the door behind them. Chuck settled into his seat.

"Come on." He said holding his arms open for her. Sarah scooched closer to him, pulling her feet up on the seat as she slid her back up against his chest. His arms came around her and she settled into his embrace. It felt good. Being in his arms was like nothing she had ever known before. She felt such comfort in his arms. It was like there was no place else in the world that she was supposed to be when she was in his arms.

Sarah closed her eyes and it was literally minutes before she was sound asleep in his arms.

* * *

><p>Graham sat behind his desk in Washington going through his pile of paperwork that had been accruing during his absence. He had just got off the phone with Agent Collins who had informed him that there was still no trace of Agent Walker or the intersect. To say that Graham was not pleased would have been the understatement of the year.<p>

Graham decided it was time to recall them back to Langley and send out a new team to lead the search. He couldn't help but think how much time he had wasted on those two morons. He had confidence in this new team though; all he had to do now was get in touch with Dr. Mansfield. He had left several messages for him but he had yet to get back to him. Graham wanted him on hand when the intersect was brought back in so that they could finish the 2.0 uploads.

It frustrated Graham to no end that he had to put his plans for Fulcrum on hold until they found Bartowski. His plan had been in motion for well over a year now. He had worked so hard to fly under the radar with the CIA, even with his work with the NSA and General Beckman. He had worked too hard for it all to go to hell now.

* * *

><p>Sarah had only been asleep about an hour when she woke up. Chuck was stirring beneath her. She could feel the heat radiating from his body and he seemed physically distressed. Sarah sat up and took in his appearance. He was unsettled. She reached out to feel his forehead. He was burning up again. It pained her to see him like this and especially to know there was nothing she could do to help him.<p>

Well there was one thing she could do, she thought as she grabbed her phone and hopped out of the truck.

The night air felt good on her skin. She paced the ground for five minutes debating with herself whether or not to make the call. Finally coming to the conclusion that it was her only real option at this point, she quickly dialed the number and waited while it rang.

"Walker?" came the gruff voice from the other end.

"Casey. I need your help."

Sarah went on to explain the situation with Chuck and her concerns over his health.

"Walker are you sure about this? Beckman is prepping her team now. Graham will be in custody soon."

"Casey, Chuck can't wait. He needs medical attention now."

"Sarah, you'll be arrested." Casey protested.

"I know." She replied.

"Walker are you sure about this?"

"Promise me that you'll get him the help he needs."

"Walker."

"Promise Casey!"

"I promise." He replied.

Sarah swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. "Then yes, I'm sure."

Sarah gave Casey their coordinates.

"It'll be a few hours before I get there. If I leave with a team now, we should be there just before daybreak."

Sarah wiped at the tear that was making its way down her cheek. She knew she was doing the right thing for Chuck. This was the only way to get him the help he so desperately needed.

"Thanks Casey."

Casey responded with one of his usual grunts before hanging up the phone. Sarah took a few deep breaths before making her way back to the truck. She climbed inside and closed the door. She turned her attention to Chuck. He seemed a bit more settled than he was 15 minutes ago. Sarah slid closer to him and rested her head against his chest as she clung to him as if her life depended on it, and maybe it did.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. As always, I look forward to any reviews you would like to throw my way. Thanks for reading.<strong>_


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Okay, so I promised some of you a Sunday chapter so here it is. There are some flashbacks in this chapter so I hope it doesn't confuse anyone. They are in italics. Also just to clarify a little, they happen consectively kind of like a montage; however, I had to seperate them with page breaks so they werne't running into one another, hope it's clear when you read it. Enjoy the chapter.**

_**Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own Chuck, If I did it wouldn't be ending. **_

**Chapter 15**

It was just before sunrise when Chuck began to stir. Sarah had been unable to get back to sleep since her phone call with Casey a few hours ago. She had wondered if she had made a mistake. Perhaps he could have held out a little longer, but then again what if he couldn't. She would never forgive herself if something happened to him.

Chuck moaned beneath her. Sarah sat upright to look at him. He was incredibly pale and the sweat was dripping from his forehead.

She reached out for his hand. His eyes flickered open at her touch.

"Sa…Sarah." The words came softly and were barely audible.

"I'm right here Chuck."

Chuck cleared his throat and tried to sit up straight but was having a difficult time doing so.

"Should…we get…moving?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"No."

Chuck looked at her with confusion.

"Chuck you're burning up…It's…It's just not safe anymore…moving you…we need to get you some help."

"I'm…f.…Sar..ah." He tried to sit upright but fell back against the seat.

"Chuck, you're not fine…You're really sick."

"We can't…stay here." He continued.

Sarah fought back the tears she felt threatening to make their presence known. She glanced at her watch, it wouldn't be much longer. They would be there to retrieve them…to arrest her.

"Chuck, I have to tell you something." She swallowed the lump in her throat.

Chuck looked at her with questioning eyes.

"Chuck….I…I can't help you anymore." It physically pained her to even say the words.

"Sarah." He reached for her hand and laced his fingers with hers.

"Chuck, Casey can get you the help you need."

"No…Sarah…Graham is still out there. It's not safe."

"Casey and Beckman will protect you." She tried to sound reassuring.

"Sarah." He tried to protest.

"I'm turning myself in Chuck, It's the only way I can save you."

"Wh..at?...Sarah…No…They'll…arrest…you." he stared into her deep blue eyes pleading with her.

"I know."

"No." Chuck shook his head in protest. "You can't…I…won't let…you."

"Chuck, it's too late." She replied. "I called Casey. They'll be here anytime now."

"What?...Are you…crazy?"

"It's the only way Chuck. I won't stand by and watch you die…I can't"

Chuck fought back his own tears now. His head fell back against the seat and he turned away from her.

"Don't be mad at me Chuck." She barely got the words out when the black van came to a screeching halt in front of them. The headlights blinding as they shone upon them.

"Agent Walker, exit the vehicle, you are under arrest!" Several armed agents jumped out of the van with their firearms drawn.

"Chuck."

He turned to meet her gaze. "You're just giving up?...Sarah Walker never gives up."

"I have no choice. I'm not giving up, I'm doing this for you Chuck." A single tear made its way down her cheek.

"I won't forgive you for this." He turned away from her again.

His words hurt, but she knew he would be mad. "Yes you will." She replied.

"How could I?" he replied.

"Because you love me Chuck." Surprised by her words he turned his head to make eye contact with her again. She leaned in and placed a soft lingering kiss on his lips. "Don't forget me." She said jumping out of the truck before he could have a chance to respond.

The agents moved in quickly to apprehend her. She passed Casey who was making his way towards Chuck while the other agents escorted her back to the van.

She mouthed the words 'help him' as she passed by him.

Casey gave her a nod before she disappeared into the black van and it sped away.

Casey and the rest of his team continued towards the truck. Casey flung open the passenger side door to find a barely conscious Chuck.

Within minutes, Casey had a helicopter touching down. His men loaded Chuck inside and he hopped in the chopper with them.

Chuck looked up at him, a blank expression on his face.

"Don't worry Chuck, you're going to be fine, we'll have you fixed up in no time." Casey said

Chuck remained silent. He closed his eyes as all thoughts went to Sarah and he prayed she would be okay.

* * *

><p>Graham had just taken his morning shower and finished dressing. He headed off to the kitchen seeking his morning coffee. He poured himself a large mugful and dumped in two spoonfuls of sugar. He gave it a quick stir and treated himself to a large gulp of the hot liquid.<p>

Graham had barely set the mug back down on the counter when half a dozen armed agents stormed his apartment, catching him completely off guard.

"What the hell is this?" he demanded.

"Director Graham you are under arrest."

An agent pushed him into the counter and grabbed his arms pinning them behind his back as he slapped a set of handcuffs on him.

"This is ridiculous. Do you have any idea who I am?" he barked at the agents.

The agents led Graham towards the door and out of the apartment. He tried to fight them off but there were too many of them. "You'll all pay for this!"

The agents led him to their waiting vehicle and tossed him inside. The agents hopped in and headed towards the holding facility where General Beckman was already waiting.

* * *

><p>Sarah was taken to the nearest NSA holding facility. She remained silent the whole time and not one of the agents even tried to question her. She assumed that was Casey and Beckman's doing.<p>

The agents escorted her to the holding cell, where they left her. Sarah collapsed on the hard steel bench. She slid back against the wall and brought her knees up to her chin, hugging her legs tightly with her still cuffed hands. Sarah rested her head on her knees and closed her eyes. She couldn't get the last image of Chuck out of her head. The fear, the anger, the hurt in his eyes as she walked away from him.

She believed in all her heart that he would one day forgive her for what she had done, but what if he didn't? No, she couldn't dwell on that. As long as he was safe and taken care of that was all that mattered. If he couldn't forgive her, then that would be her cross to bear, but she knew she had done everything she could to save him.

They had been through so much over the past year, hell over the past week. She had always distanced herself from those in her life. She was always afraid of getting too close, too involved. She had put up walls to protect herself, to shield herself from the pain she was sure would follow and where did that get her? Sitting alone in a sterile one bedroom hotel room waiting on her next mission. The job was her livelihood, her reason for being. But now, things felt different. Her mind wasn't on the mission. The only thing she found herself thinking about was him and wondering if he was okay.

* * *

><p>It's was only a couple of hours in the air before the helicopter landed in Los Angeles. Chuck had been unconscious for the majority of the flight. Once they landed, Casey brought Chuck back to his and Sarah's former headquarters beneath the Buy More.<p>

Beckman had two doctors waiting there for Chuck's arrival. Once Chuck was safely inside, the physicians went about examining him and trying to treat him. Casey looked on as his former asset cried out in pain as he experienced what Casey thought to be a flash.

Chuck was overwhelmed with intersect images, some of which he recognized from the past, some new. They were all jumbled together as if the intersect was going completely haywire. It continued for nearly five minutes before it stopped completely and then all he could see was her.

"_Would it be that terrible? One real date with me?" he continued._

_She looked back up at him with a sympathetic look on her face. "Of course not." She replied._

_He laced his fingers with hers and gave her hands a squeeze. "Then say yes."_

_Sarah hesitated before taking a deep breath and exhaling. "Okay." She gave in._

_A smile spread across Chuck's face. "Really?" his face lit up._

_Sarah looked back up at him and met his eyes with hers. "Really." She replied. A smile formed on her own face._

"_It's a date then?" He asked._

_Sarah nodded, "It's a date."_

_Chuck just smiled in response. He was absolutely giddy._

* * *

><p>"<em>You want to dance?...here?" she asked.<em>

_Chuck nodded his head. He set the radio down on the counter and fiddled with it for a moment until he found a station playing some soft, suitable slow dancing music. He smiled as he made his way over to her. He came to stand in front of her an extended his hand to her. "Would you do me the honor?" he asked._

_Sarah seemed hesitant. She reluctantly offered Chuck her hand and he pulled her to her feet. She felt a jolt of electricity coursing through her body the instance he touched her. Chuck felt it too._

"_Your palm is sweaty." Sarah commented as he pulled her towards the middle of the room. Chuck pulled it from her and attempted to wipe it on his pant leg. _

"_Sorry." He said. "I guess, I'm a little nervous."_

_Sarah grabbed his hand. "Why are you nervous?" she asked looking him in the eye as she moved in closer to him._

"_Are you kidding me? Why wouldn't I be nervous Sarah? I mean…look at you…Look at me."_

_She locked eyes with him. "I am looking at you." She smiled at him. "Let's dance Chuck."_

_He smiled as he pulled her into his arms. He wrapped one arm around her waist. With his free hand he laced his fingers with hers as they began to sway slowly to the music. Chuck felt his temperature rise as she seemed to melt into him. _

_The longer they danced, the closer they got, the more comfortable with one another they became. Chuck felt his breath catch in his throat when she rested her head against his chest._

"_Sarah." He spoke her name, barely able to get the word out._

"_Hmm?" she looked up at him and he lost his train of thought once again._

"_God you're so beautiful." He swallowed hard again. His eyes fell to her lips and all he could think about was tasting them once again._

_Chuck found his lips moving closer and closer to hers. It was like a magnetic force bringing them together. He didn't exactly have much experience with making the first move, especially with someone like Sarah. Someone he found to be incredibly out of his league, but he didn't let that stop him._

_He released her hand and moved his to her cheek while he pulled her in tighter with his other hand clasped securely around her waist. His lips brushed lightly against hers. They moved slowly over hers. Sarah stood motionless. Was this really happening? Was he really kissing her? It was slow and sensual. He took his time, almost as if he were trying to savor the moment. When he pulled away Sarah stood before him. Her eyes were still closed. She opened them to see Chuck staring at her. He smiled, but she seemed to remain frozen._

_Chuck's smile faded. What had he done? Things were going so well, did he just blow it?_

"_Sarah?"_

_She didn't respond, in fact she looked away from him. Oh god, he did blow it._

"_Sarah, I'm sorry…I didn't mean to….I…." He stammered._

_Sarah stood before him, her heart in a major battle with her head. She could see Chuck was visibly upset. She never wanted to upset him. That kiss, that kiss was so sweet and just amazing. She tried to speak, but the words didn't come easy._

"_Chuck."_

"_I really blew it didn't I?...I just…I really like you Sarah….I…I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable…I just… I thought you…I'm sorry."_

"_Chuck stop, its okay."_

"_No it's not…Clearly I shouldn't have done that. I'm not the kind of guy who comes on so strong…I made you uncomfortable…I….I just…"_

_Sarah couldn't take it anymore; her heart was definitely winning the battle here._

"_Oh to hell with it." She said as she moved back in and captured his lips with hers catching Chuck off guard this time. It didn't take him long to respond. He found his hands moving up her back. Her hands clasped around his neck as their lips moved in synch with one another. The kiss was full of passion and pent up desire. It was electric._

_The urgency of the kiss eventually faded and turned into something soft and sensual. When their lips parted they both stood their almost as if they were in shock of what had just happened._

"_Sarah." Chuck was the first to speak. "You…you kissed me."_

_Sarah swallowed the huge lump that was forming in her throat. "I know." She managed to get the words out. "You kissed me first." She threw in._

_Chuck smiled. "I did."_

_Sarah smiled back at him._

"_That was…incredible." He spoke taking a step closer to her._

_Sarah blushed. "I know."_

_Chuck's hand moved in to caress her cheek. She leaned her face into his palm as he smoothed his hand over her soft features._

"_Can we do it again?" He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, still swollen from their kiss._

_Sarah brought her own hand up and rested it on the side of Chuck's face as she stepped in closer. Their lips met once again. They kept the kiss soft and sensual. She locked her arms around his neck, while his circled her waist. _

_The kiss eventually broke but their embrace did not. They gazed lovingly into one another's eyes. Sarah leaned into him, resting her head against his chest and closed her eyes. They went back to swaying slowly to the music that still filled the air. Neither of them wanting this moment to end. _

* * *

><p><em>Sarah smiled. She leaned in and pressed her lips softly against his. Their lips parted and Chuck flashed her <em>_a grin. "What was that for?" he asked._

_Sarah laughed. "I told you…I like kissing you."_

_Chuck's smile grew. "Oh right." He said leaning back in to kiss her. Sarah moved in closer to him resting her palm on his cheek. Chuck ran his hand up her back as he continued to kiss her softly._

_They pulled apart reluctantly and rested their foreheads against one another's._

"_Lay with me for a while?" Chuck spoke softly into her ear. Sarah nodded her head in response._

_Chuck laid back down on his back and lifted his arm, inviting her to move in closer._

_Sarah slid closer to him and rested her head on his chest. Chuck brought his arm back down around her and gave her a comforting squeeze. The two laid there in silence for the next ten minutes until Sarah bolted upright. _

"_Did you hear that?"_

"_What?" Chuck looked at her with confusion as he sat up._

"_Listen." She said. The two sat silently listening. A few seconds passed and they heard a light rustling sound outside the tent. Sarah reached for her gun, Chuck grabbed hold of her arm._

"_Sarah what are you doing?"_

_She pulled her arm away from him and moved towards the opening of the tent and unzipped it._

"_Chuck just…stay in the tent okay."_

"_Seriously?...Stay in the tent? Sarah, I thought we were passed the whole stay in the car thing, you're not my handler anymore remember."_

"_Chuck are we really going to do this right now? Will you please just stay in the tent until I know it's safe?"_

_Chuck smiled, "Well since you said please and all."_

_Sarah slipped outside of the tent slowly, her gun drawn as she looked around. She barely stepped foot out of the tent when she saw them._

"_Uhhh Chuck." She held her gun out in front of her._

_Chuck poked his head out from the tent._

"_Yeah?"_

"_Umm…we have some company."_

_Chuck looked past Sarah and saw who she was referring to. Chuck smiled as he stepped out of the tent and came up behind her. A mother deer and her fawn were a mere 15 feet away from them grazing on some grass._

"_Should I shoot them?" Sarah asked._

_Chuck laughed until he realized she was being completely serious. "What?" He placed his hand on hers that held the gun pointed directly at their intruders and forced her to lower it. "Sarah no… They're harmless."_

_She looked at him uncertain._

"_I swear. It's just a mama and her baby eating some breakfast."_

_Sarah turned her attention back to the deer. "I've never seen any so close before."_

_Chuck wrapped his arms around her from behind and gave her a hug. "Pretty cool huh?"_

_Sarah looked more closely at the deer. She had to admit, they were pretty cool. And the baby was absolutely adorable. _

"_Yeah." She replied. "Pretty cool."_

* * *

><p><em>Sarah applied a bandage to the gash above his left eye.<em>

"_Sarah is all this really necessary?" he asked._

_Sarah shot him one of her death glares._

"_Never mind." He replied before she had a chance to._

_Sarah went about placing the last piece of tape over the bandage, her lips curling up into a smile._

"_I must look pretty bad huh?" Chuck spoke again. _

"_I'm sure it feels worse than it looks. Does it hurt badly?"_

"_It doesn't feel good." He replied._

_Sarah rested her palm against his cheek and caressed it softly, he winced slightly and she leaned in and pressed her lips ever so gently against his cheek. "Does that feel better?" She asked._

_Chuck smiled as he placed his hands on her waist. "I think I'm going to need a lot more of those to make me start feeling better."_

"_Oh yeah?" She smiled as she stepped in closer and he tightened his embrace. She kissed him on the cheek again. "How's that?" she asked._

"_Mmm a little better, but I'm still in quite a bit of pain." He said with a raised eye brow._

"_Well we can't have that." She shook her head no and he followed suit._

"_Definitely can't have that." He replied._

_Sarah leaned in again, this time catching the corner of his mouth, careful not to press against the cut on his lip. Her fingers caressed his neck. "How does that feel?" she asked._

"_Sarah, I don't think there's anything that a kiss from you can't fix." He pulled her into him and held her in his arms._

* * *

><p>"<em>I'm turning myself in Chuck, It's the only way I can save you."<em>

"_Wh..at?...Sarah…No…They'll…a…arrest…you." he stared into her deep blue eyes pleading with her._

"_I know."_

"_No." Chuck shook his head in protest. "You can't…I…won't let…you."_

"_Chuck, it's too late." She replied. "I called Casey. They'll be here anytime now."_

"_What?...Are you…crazy?"_

"_It's the only way Chuck. I won't stand by and watch you die…I can't"_

_Chuck fought back his own tears now. His head fell back against the seat and he turned away from her._

"_Don't be mad at me Chuck." She barely got the words out when the Black van came to a screeching fault in front of them. The headlights blinding as they shone upon them._

"_Agent Walker, exit the vehicle, you are under arrest!" Several armed agents jumped out of the van with their firearms drawn._

"_Chuck."_

_He turned to meet her gaze. "You're just giving up."_

"_I have no choice. I'm not giving up, I'm doing this for you Chuck." A single tear made its way down her cheek._

"_I won't forgive you for this." He turned away from her again._

_His words hurt, but she knew he would be mad. "Yes you will." She replied._

"_How could I?" he replied._

"_Because you love me Chuck." Surprised by her words he turned his head to make eye contact with her again. She leaned in and placed a soft lingering kiss on his lips. "Don't forget me." She said jumping out of the truck before he could have a chance to respond. _

Chuck bolted upright on his cot. "Sarah!" he called out for her.

Casey and the doctors quickly moved to his side.

"Chuck relax." Casey instructed.

Chuck turned his attention to his former handler. "Casey…You have to help her…Don't' let them take her."

"Chuck, don't worry about Walker right now. She's a big girl, she can take care of herself. She knows what she's doing."

"Casey please….It's Sarah." Chuck pleaded with him.

Casey nodded. "I know Chuck…I know."

* * *

><p>General Beckman was waiting patiently for her team to deliver Director Graham to her, everything seemed to be falling into place. She had just gotten off the phone with Orion who had agreed to come take a look at the intersect. Beckman had promised him anonymity in return.<p>

Beckman had also received word that the NSA had just brought in Agent Abrams who was Graham's right hand man. They were also intercepting two agents that Graham had recalled back to Langley who had been tailing Agent Walker and the intersect. Two other agents that Graham had deployed to take their place had also been apprehended.

Beckman had several teams out bringing in Fulcrum agents all over the country, thanks to the Intel Agent Andrews was able to provide them with. Beckman smiled, the thought of finally being able to bring down Fulcrum after chasing them for over a year now was incredible. Her smile grew even more when she saw her agents filing into the room toting along and less than pleased looking Director Graham.

* * *

><p>Casey sat at the computer going over a copy of Graham's USB drives that Beckman had sent over to him.<p>

Graham had schematics for upcoming Fulcrum missions. Plans to take over the CIA completely and then moving on to the NSA and all other branches of US military and government. Casey shook his head in disbelief. The thought of Graham actually getting away with all of this was unsettling to say the least.

Casey read through mission plans where the intersect would be utilized. One in particular stood out to him. It was one of the first missions planned for the intersect and it was an assignation order on none other than General Beckman. Apparently Graham felt she was too close to the intersect project and she needed to be taken out of the equation to ensure Fulcrum's safety.

"Major Casey." One of his field agents poked his head through the door.

"What is it?" Casey grunted.

"He's here." The agent announced. He opened the door the rest of the way and stepped aside. The older man entered the room and Casey stood up from his chair to greet him. He looked at the older man with confusion.

"You're Orion?" Casey asked.

"You must be Major Casey?" he responded.

Casey responded with a nod.

"Where is he?" Orion asked.

"This way." Casey said leading the man to a back room where Chuck was resting. "The doctor gave him a sedative, he was getting pretty agitated earlier. He has been flashing on an off, but from what we can tell, the flashes are all jumbled up. I'm sure Beckman explained to you about the new uploads."

"She did." Orion confirmed.

"He's been having horrible head aches and he has a dangerously high fever that we are having a hard time controlling." Casey said opening the door to Chuck's room.

Orion spotted the unconscious man lying on the table in the middle of the room and he slowly approached him.

"You're are last hope." Casey continued. "We need you to save his life."

Orion stared wide eyes at the man before him. His mouth practically dropping to the floor when he saw the man's face.

"Charles?" Orion's hand moved to cover his mouth.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay so another chapter down. I just wanted to thank you all for your continued support with this story. Your reviews have been amazing and I appreciate every single one of them. Thanks for reading.<strong>_


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: First of all thank you for all the incredible reviews you guys have been leaving, your continued support is amazing and your reviews definitely keep me motivated to get these chapters out as quickly as possible. Because of all of you and your awesome reviews, I am posting early. This wasn't going to be posted till Sunday, but I decided it was ready to go.**

**This chapter has some more flashbacks in it. Actually, lots of flashbacks (hopefully it's not overkill, but I couldn't bring myself to cut any more of them out.) Again, they are italicized and play out like a montage, one after another. They are separated by the page breaks so they don't run into one another and really confuse you. There is also a dream in this chapter and that is done in bold italics. Hope you enjoy it.**

**Chapter 16**

"Is this some kind of joke? What the hell am I doing here?" Graham demanded as the agents tossed him down into the chair securing him to it, before making their exit and leaving him alone with her.

Beckman smiled as she approached him. "Langston you know why you're here. Someone was bound to catch up with you eventually. Did you honestly think that no one would ever figure out that you were the one behind Fulcrum?"

Graham shook his head. "You've lost your mind Diane."

"We have your files!"

Graham's breath caught in his throat.

"Surprised?" Beckman asked. "The NSA isn't as incompetent as you may think Director."

"Are you saying that you think I am the mastermind behind Fulcrum? That I headed up the very organization I have been trying so hard to bring down for the past year? That is absurd. You really should get your head examined."

"That's exactly what I'm saying, and we have all the proof we need. We have your list of Fulcrum recruits and contacts. The NSA is working around the clock to bring them all in even as we speak." Beckman leaned down as she spoke to him, looking him directly in the eyes.

"This is a set up!" He tried to free himself from his restraints but it was no use.

"You can give up the act Graham, you're fooling no one." She stood up and took a few steps back. "Now tell me what you did to Bartowski and how we can fix it." She demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"We've already talked to Dr. Mansfield." Beckman circled the man in the chair. "He was quite cooperative. The man doesn't seem to have a very high threshold for pain, probably not like you." She said with a smirk on her face.

Graham stared straight forward, refusing to make eye contact with the General.

"You know Graham; we have ways of making you talk."

He continued to stare straight ahead. "That's not likely Diane."

"Langston, everybody talks. You should know that."

* * *

><p><em>Longshore took hold of Chuck's arm and pulled him in the direction they were initially headed before Agent Walker's interruption. "His cover was blown, he's gone."<em>

"_No!.. I will take full responsibility. Chuck is my asset, he's my guy…just give us some more time…Please." She pleaded the best she knew how._

"_I would appreciate it. I really would." Chuck chimed in in one last desperate attempt._

"_Please don't do this." Sarah reached behind her back, her hand rested securely on her gun, ready if she needed it._

"_Okay, you got one minute. One Minute!" Longshore emphasized the one minute before stepping back away from them, giving the two of them some space. Sarah eyed him as she made her way closer to Chuck until she came to stand directly in front of him._

"_I'm not ready Sarah; I'm not ready to disappear."_

"_No. I know."_

"_I need you to talk to Ellie and to Morgan and my friends and tell them…tell them I don't know….look if I'm supposed to be dead, just tell them something that will make it okay…that will make them feel alright. Just make sure they know how much I love them…You can do that right?"_

_She nodded as the tears welled in her eyes._

"_Of course you can, you're Sarah, you can do anything."_

_She attempted a smile through the nearly formed tears._

"_And hey there's a silver lining to this to you know. Cuz we're not working together anymore, which means we can go on a date. You can come by my cell and we can hang out and you can tell me who the president is."_

_She snickered at his attempt at humor. Leave it to Chuck to try to make her feel alright when his world was crumbling down before him._

"_And maybe..." he held his cuffed hands open for hers. She placed her hands in his and their eyes locked with one another. "Maybe we can see how we really feel."_

"_Times up!" Longshore called out, interrupting their heartfelt goodbye._

_Chuck shifted his attention to Longshore. He had nearly forgotten he was even there; he had been so caught up in his moment with Sarah. He turned back to look at her again. _

"_Goodbye Sarah."_

_A single tear fell from her eye and cascaded down her cheek. He had never seen her cry before. For a long time he didn't even think it was something she was capable of. But over the past year, they had gotten close, maybe not as close as Chuck would have liked them to be, but they were friends. Good friends. Not to mention the thing that was going on between the two of them behind the cover relationship, whether Sarah was ready to admit it or not. _

_He released her hands and turned to walk away. He was halfway across the rooftop to Longshore when she stopped him._

"_Chuck!" she managed to call out to him through the tears._

_He turned and locked eyes with her once again._

"_Save you later."_

_He offered a half a smile and a slight nod of the head._

_Without thinking Sarah rushed towards him. She pulled him into a hug. "I'll find you." She whispered into his ear. "I'll fix this Chuck…I promise."_

* * *

><p>"<em>Any day now Chuck." She spoke up.<em>

_Chuck sighed heavily. "Okay, okay…Sarah…do you have any 8's?"_

_Sarah smiled. "Go fish." She replied._

_Chuck drew a card from the pool in front of him._

_Sarah looked back down at the three cards in her hand; all she needed was one more. "Chuck do you have a 3?" she asked._

_Chuck smirked as he shook his head. Hesitantly he handed the card over to her._

_Sarah quickly snagged it from his hands and laid her hand down in front of him. "Hah! Four 3's, I win!...Again."_

_Chuck tossed the rest of his hand down in defeat. "You know for someone who has never played Go Fish before, you sure did catch on quickly."_

_Sarah laughed. "Beginner's luck I guess."_

"_Yeah right."_

"_What's that supposed to mean?"_

"_Sarah, you're just one of those people who are good at everything you do."_

"_That's not true."_

"_Really? Name one thing you are not good at Sarah."_

"_Chuck there are lots of things I'm not good at."_

"_Like?"_

_I don't know; just like….normal stuff you know. Like making friends, and family stuff, I'm not so good at. Relationships, I've never been any good at all…and…water polo….I totally suck at water polo."_

_Chuck laughed, and Sarah followed suit. "You're getting funnier Sarah."_

"_Oooh, another thing I am not good at."_

"_Not true, you made me laugh and I only laugh at things that are funny."_

"_Well I guess you're rubbing off on me a little." She smiled._

_Chuck found himself staring at her a big grin stretched ear to ear._

"_What?" she questioned._

_Chuck shook his head. "Nothing."_

"_Chuck?" she reached out and placed her hand on his arm. "Tell me."_

"_You're different….When you're not in agent mode 24/7. You're more laid back, carefree. I like it…I really like the real Sarah Walker."_

_Sarah blushed at his comments and looked away._

"_I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you or anything, I just…It's nice…just…hanging out with you, not having to keep up a cover or chase after bad guys. Just sitting here with you, playing a game of Go Fish, well it's the happiest I've been in a long time Sarah."_

_Sarah met his eyes again. "I'm having a good time too Chuck."_

_His eyes locked with hers and they gazed into one another's eyes. After a moment of awkward silence between them, Sarah averted her eyes and began picking up the cards between them._

"_Well Chuck, it's getting late, we should probably get some sleep, we have another long day tomorrow."_

_Chuck nodded. Sarah finished gathering all the cards and set them on the night stand next to the bed._

"_One more thing Sarah." Chuck said as he stood up and turned the covers down on the bed._

"_Yeah Chuck?" she asked as she stood up and pulled the covers down on her own side of the bed. _

"_Technically you're not my handler anymore right?" he asked as he slipped into the bed and under the covers._

"_Technically." She replied as she got into the bed as well. She pulled the covers up around her as she settled down against the mattress._

_He turned to look at her, Propping himself up in his elbow. "Sarah, will you….will you go on a date with me?"_

* * *

><p>"<em>Kiss me." She said, catching Chuck by surprise.<em>

"_Wh…what?"_

"_Just do it Chuck…now!" she instructed._

_Chuck leaned in and grazed his lips against her cheek briefly before pulling away._

"_Chuck, I know this fake PDA is hard for you." She whispered in his ear, "But you're going to have to do better than that if anyone is going to buy us as a real couple."_

_Chuck glanced up and met her eyes with his. Without another thought, he swooped in and captured her lips with his, finally catching her off guard for a change. If Sarah Walker wanted a real honest to goodness kiss then that's exactly what she was going to get. His hand moved to her cheek, while the other slid slowly up her back. He moved his lips sensually over hers as he kissed her passionately savoring every second of it. When his need for air became too much, he finally pulled back. He moved his hand from her back to her other cheek, cupping her face in his hands as he rested his forehead against hers. Sarah struggled to catch her breath. Chuck pulled back a little more. Reaching out he brushed a few strands of hair from her face._

"_That…that was…better." She managed to get the words out as he continued to stare deeply into her eyes. Sarah felt completely flushed. And was it hot in there? She felt like she was standing amidst an inferno. She took a step back trying to get her bearings. Finally recalling the purpose of the kiss, she glanced past Chuck. The man who had been watching them so intently had turned away in discouragement, realizing he didn't stand a chance with her._

_Sarah breathed a huge sigh of relief._

"_What?" Chuck asked, unable to take his eyes off of her._

"_Looks like our bogey is nothing more than a gawker." She met his eyes once again. Those chocolate brown orbs were hypnotizing. The way he was looking at her. No one had ever looked at her like that before and it sent chills down her spine. Her eyes shifted to his lips. How she wanted to feel them once again. At that moment she found it incredibly hard to breathe. _

"_No harm done." He replied, his eyes never leaving hers._

* * *

><p>"<em>Okay, so you have to use your imagination a little here." He said as he escorted her over to the table. "For starters, I want you to pretend I am dressed in something a little more…well, date worthy." He pulled her chair out for her to sit down. "For example, you are wearing a fun little number, sexy, but conservative and first date material. It falls a couple inches above your knees, has a little sparkle to it, the neck line isn't too revealing but just enough to cause all the other men in the restaurant here to give you a second maybe even a third look as you walk past them. I'm thinking maybe red…no… salmon." <em>

_Sarah smiled at him, she found him to be completely adorable._

"_You're wearing your hair down; your neck is adorned with a simple yet elegant necklace, with earrings to match. But to be honest, I barely even notice them, because I can't get past your sparkling blue eyes, that have me completely captivated and under your spell. I am finding it extremely difficult to even look away from you." He spoke as he stared into her big blue eyes._

_Sarah smiled in response. She had never known anyone like Chuck before. He was so genuine and charming and just…incredible. He gave her a wink of the eye as he waited for her to respond. He was really putting himself out there tonight and he just prayed she would reciprocate his feelings._

_Sarah glanced down at the table and blushed slightly. "Salmon?" she finally replied looking up at him. "I thought Salmon wasn't really your color?"_

_It was Chuck's turn to blush. He had in fact told her that in the past, mostly for Bryce's benefit. _

"_Well…that may not have been completely true." He finally admitted, slightly embarrassed that Sarah had called him out on that._

_Sarah smiled. "Okay, so I take it, it's my turn now?" She asked. _

_Chuck looked up from the table and met her eyes with his._

"_Okay, let's see." Sarah eyed the man who sat across from her. "You are wearing a casual, yet semi-formal button up black shirt. You have your sleeves rolled ¾ of the way up. Your top button around your collar is left undone. You're wearing jeans and that cologne that you wore on our first date."_

_Chuck smiled. She remembered the cologne he had worn on their first date. His smile then turned to confusion. "Wait… I'm wearing jeans? Sarah, this is a fancy restaurant." Chuck chimed in as he gestured the to pretend restaurant that they were currently seated in._

"_I don't care. This is my interpretation right? How I want you to dress on our date, and I happen to like you in jeans." She replied._

_Sarah regretted the words almost immediately. She was really letting her guard down tonight._

"_I mean…I just…I like you in casual wear is all."_

_Chuck just smiled at her in response, she was incredibly adorable when she was stammering, not something she did often._

"_Why don't we move on to the dinner?" he suggested, letting her off the hook rather easily considering she had called him out mere seconds ago._

"_It smells really good. What is it?" She asked._

_Chuck stood up from his chair and made his way over to the counter. He returned in seconds with two plates, placing one in front of her and the other in front of him as he sat back down._

"_This Sarah is the famous Chuck Bartowski chicken pepperoni." He flashed her another grin._

_Sarah's smile grew. "Chicken pepperoni?" she asked._

"_Trust me; you're going to be blown away."_

_Sarah laughed. "I'm sure it'll be great Chuck. I'm just excited to be eating something not from a box or a fast food restaurant at this point."_

_Chuck made his way back over to the counter and returned with a couple of glasses and a bottle of sparkling grape juice. He placed the glasses on the table and began to pour one for her and one for himself. I really wanted to get a nice bottle of wine for us, but I know we need to be on our toes and can't really risk being under the influence of alcohol. This is the best I could find at the store today. My resources were a tad limited so to speak."_

"_It's fine Chuck."_

_Chuck sat back down across from her and raised his glass. "A toast." He said._

_Sarah lifted her glass. _

"_To us…and to hopefully and unforgettable evening."_

* * *

><p><em>The two laid there in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Sarah spoke again.<em>

"_Chuck?"_

"_Hmmm?"_

"_There is something we need to talk about. Something I've been putting off all day."_

"_What is it Sarah?"_

"_We need to talk about…this…about us."_

_This piqued his attention. "What about us Sarah?"_

_Sarah swallowed the lump in her throat. This was a difficult subject for her to bring up._

"_Chuck I really like you. I've never been happier than I am when I'm spending time with you."_

"_I feel the same way Sarah."_

"_I'm just…I…"_

"_What is it?"_

"_Chuck I know how when you get an idea in your head, you just dive right in and I don't know if I'm ready for that kind of relationship. I don't know if I am ready for anything too serious and I just want to be upfront with you, because the last thing I would want to do is lead you on."_

_Chuck brought their intertwined fingers up to his lips and placed a kiss on her hand._

"_Sarah. I appreciate your honesty. The truth is I am willing to take this one day at a time. I just really like being with you. I mean we're having fun aren't we?"_

_Sarah smiled. "Yeah. We're having fun." She looked up at him._

_With his free hand he traced her bottom lip with his thumb before leaning down to kiss her. Sarah propped herself up on her elbow and met him halfway. The kiss quickly became heated. Sarah shifted in his arms. Their lips parting only long enough for Sarah to sit upright. She wrapped her arms around his neck. His hands circled her waist and pulled her closer. They kissed one another fervently with a year's worth of pent up desire._

_Sarah moved onto his lap, in a straddling position. Chuck's hands roamed aimlessly up her back caressing her. Sarah tugged at the bottom of his t-shirt. Chuck pulled his lips away from hers just long enough to help her remove it. She smiled as she ran her hands over his bare chest. Chuck's lips sought out hers once again._

"_Sarah?"_

"_Hmm?" _

"_Wanna go in the tent?" Chuck pulled his lips from hers once again waiting for her response._

_Sarah bit her lip in anticipation as she gave him a nod. Sarah climbed off of his lap and the two crawled into the tent. Once inside their lips found each other's once again. Chuck's hands found their way up Sarah's shirt. He caressed the silky smooth skin on her back as they kissed. His lips moved to her neck and she moaned with pleasure. Chuck laid Sarah onto her back as he hovered above her. His lips continued their way down her neckline. She raked her nails down his muscular back, sending shivers down his spine as she writhed beneath him._

_She looked at him with desire in her eyes._

"_Sarah…do you…want to…"_

_Sarah nodded and beckoned him with her finger to come closer. She kissed him on the lips, begging him for more._

_He stroked her cheek with his thumb as he gazed into her eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked one more time._

"_I've never been more sure of anything in my whole life Chuck." She replied pulling him back down to her. _

* * *

><p>"<em>Chuck! Don't you dare!" she cried out. Those were the last words she got out before she came crashing down into the water. When she resurfaced, the two of them were in hysterics. Chuck moved in closer to her. He reached up to brush away the strands of wet hair that were matted to her forehead.<em>

"_Truce?" he asked as their laughing subsided, realizing their close proximity to one another._

"_Truce." She replied stepping in closer to him._

_Chuck's eyes fell to her lips; he wanted to kiss her so badly right now. He was just about to lean in, when Sarah took the liberty of doing it for him. She crushed her lips against his. She held his face in her hands as she kissed him fervently. Chuck's hands circled her waist and pulled her against him tightly. Despite the cool water he could feel the heat radiating from her body and he was sure she could feel it radiating from his body as well. _

_She ran her hands through his wet curls as his lips moved to her neck. Chuck's hands roamed over her bottom he caressed the back of her thighs. He hoisted her up and she wrapped her legs securely around his waist. Sarah ran her hands over his broad shoulders and clasped them behind his neck._

_Chuck's lips moved sensually across her collar bone. She threw her head back reveling in the feel of his lips against her hot bare flesh. His name escaped her lips and he smiled._

_Sarah's bra strap slid down her arm as he continued to trail kisses along her body._

"_Sarah I want you so bad." The words were barely audible but she heard them clear as day. She felt the same way and wondered why she had waited so long._

_She pulled back slightly allowing him to make eye contact with her. She moistened her lips with her tongue and swallowed hard. "I want you too Chuck."_

_He moved back in and captured her lips. He kissed her softly and sensually with as much passion as he could muster. She moaned in pleasure against his lips. His hands roamed all over her body. "Please don't stop Chuck." She pleaded with her body as she writhed in his arms. Chuck had never been so turned on in his entire life. _

_Sarah ran her hands over his bare chest. She kissed his neck and slowly worked her way down to his chest while Chuck combed his fingers through her wet tresses. Sarah could feel Chuck's body reacting to her touch which only turned her on more than she already was. Something she didn't even think was possible._

_Their eyes met and they locked with one another's. Chuck traced Sarah's bottom lip with his thumb._

"_Chuck." His name came out like a whisper. He smoothed his hand over her cheek. "I've never…felt like this before."_

"_Me either." He replied._

"_What's happening between us?...It feels like…more than just sex."_

_Chuck smiled at her. "Sarah Walker…you're falling in love with me. Just like I am with you."_

_Sarah backed up slightly; he had gone and said it. That damn 'L' word._

"_Chuck…No…I…don't fall in love…I wouldn't even know how."_

_Chuck laughed and Sarah looked at him with confusion. "Sarah, it's not something you learn to do…it's just… something that happens." He moved back in closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. "You don't have to be afraid of it."_

_Sarah had never felt more vulnerable in her entire life than she did with him right now. She rested her hands on his shoulders as she looked into his eyes. The most beautiful chocolate brown eyes she had ever seen. She leaned in and rested her forehead against his. "I've never felt so excited and yet so terrified at the same time."_

_Chuck pressed his lips against her forehead. "I know."_

* * *

><p>"<em>Chuck….I…I can't help you anymore." It physically pained her to even say the words.<em>

"_Sarah." He reached for her hand and laced his fingers with hers._

"_Chuck, Casey can get you the help you need."_

"_No…Sarah…Graham is still out there. It's not safe."_

"_Casey and Beckman will protect you." She tried to sound reassuring._

"_Sarah." He tried to protest._

"_I'm turning myself in Chuck; It's the only way I can save you."_

"_Wh..at?...Sarah…No…They'll…arrest…you." he stared into her deep blue eyes pleading with her._

"_I know."_

"_No." Chuck shook his head in protest. "You can't…I…won't let…you."_

"_Chuck, it's too late." She replied. "I called Casey. They'll be here anytime now."_

"_What?...Are you…crazy?"_

"_It's the only way Chuck. I won't stand by and watch you die…I can't"_

_Chuck fought back his own tears now. His head fell back against the seat and he turned away from her._

"_Don't be mad at me Chuck." She barely got the words out when the black van came to a screeching halt in front of them. The headlights blinding as they shone upon them._

"_Agent Walker, exit the vehicle, you are under arrest!" Several armed agents jumped out of the van with their firearms drawn._

"_Chuck."_

_He turned to meet her gaze. "You're just giving up?...Sarah Walker never gives up."_

"_I have no choice. I'm not giving up, I'm doing this for you Chuck." A single tear made its way down her cheek._

"_I won't forgive you for this." He turned away from her again._

_His words hurt, but she knew he would be mad. "Yes you will." She replied._

"_How could I?" he replied._

"_Because you love me Chuck." Surprised by her words he turned his head to make eye contact with her again. She leaned in and placed a soft lingering kiss on his lips. "Don't forget me." She said jumping out of the truck before he could have a chance to respond. _

* * *

><p>Sarah's eyes shot open as she inhaled sharply. She stared up at the ceiling of the holding cell. A single tear escaped her eye and trickled down her cheek. She couldn't stop thinking about him. She was so worried about him. She had no idea what was happening to him. She knew It had been hours since they had brought them both in, but other than that, Sarah had no concept of time. It was like time had been standing still for her. Minutes felt like hours as she waited to hear any kind of news. News she wasn't sure would ever come.<p>

Sarah sat upright on the cold, hard bench. She wiped at her eyes with her still cuffed hands. How the hell did she end up here anyway? This was never part of the plan. She had to believe that she had made the right choice by turning herself in. That sacrificing her freedom would ultimately lead to Chuck's survival. It's what her heart kept telling her, that she had made the right choice, the only choice. If only her head would follow its lead.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry, do you know him?" Casey asked the man known as Orion who stood over Chuck with sincere concern in his eyes.<p>

Orion swallowed the lump that was in his throat. Before turning his attention to Casey. He shook his head. "No…No, I don't know him." He replied, not sure if this agent could be trusted.

"You called him Charles?" Casey questioned.

"I've read the file. General Beckman briefed me before hand." He recovered.

Casey responded with one of his grunts that he typically reserved for those moments when someone put him in his place.

Orion shifted his focus back to Chuck. He moved to the monitors to check his vitals. The doctors had different sensors placed around the top portion of his skull measuring brain wave activity. Orion moved to the computer to glance at the readings it was sending out. The brain wave activity was definitely off. It was inconsistent and appeared erratic at times.

Orion checked Chuck's vitals. His temperature was holding steady at 101, which was actually down from when he first arrived at the secret base. He had IV's hooked up to his arm, feeding him fluids to keep him hydrated.

Casey handed Orion a large manila folder. Here's the scans the doctors took from him. Orion opened the file and removed the films He held them up to the light one at a time scrutinizing them carefully.

"Can you help him?" Casey finally asked breaking the uncomfortable silence between them.

"I don't know." He replied. "But I'm going to try."

* * *

><p>He tossed his head to the side and spit out a mouthful of blood on the floor. Diane Beckman may be small but she sure packed one hell of a punch. Graham looked up at her with his newly swollen lip, and fresh blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.<p>

Graham stared blankly at the wall in front of him, while Beckman wiped his blood from her hand.

"You know Langston, with the Intel we have on you, we don't even need a confession. But I have to admit, It sure is fun trying to get one." She leaned down to speak directly in his ear. "No one makes a fool out of me…NO ONE!"

Beckman frowned when she failed to get a response or a reaction from him. He was definitely going to be a tough one to break, but there wasn't a person she wasn't able to break yet and she'd be damned if he was going to be the first.

"General?" Agent Robbins popped his head in the door.

Beckman shifted her attention to the door. "What is it Robbins?" She asked.

"General, Major Casey is on the phone."

Beckman turned to face Graham once again. "If you'll excuse me Director, I have to take this." She said with a smirk. Graham remained stone faced as she left the room. He would be damned if he was going to crack before the likes of Diane Beckman.

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>I never wanted to hurt you Chuck. I only wanted to protect you." She reached for his hands, which he gladly gave up to her. "Say you'll forgive me? That we can get past this?"<strong>_

_**He gave her hands a gentle reassuring squeeze. "Sarah I know that you did what you thought you had to do…What you thought was best for us…for me. How can I be mad at you for that?" He stepped in closer and raised his hand, cupping her cheek. She leaned into it, resting her cheek in the palm of his hand. "Just don't do it again." He said. The corners of his mouth curled up into a smile as he gazed into her majestic blue orbs.**_

_**Sarah smiled in response. "I never wanted to leave you Chuck. I want to be with you, by your side…always."**_

_**Chuck's smile grew as he pulled her into his arms, wrapping them securely around her small frame. "I want that too. I always have."**_

_**Her arms circled around his neck, toying with a few stray curls that hung down the back of his neck. "I'll never leave you again."**_

_**His hands slid up her body to her face, cupping it in his hands. His eyes locked with hers as he spoke. "Promise?"**_

"_**I promise." A single tear made its way down her cheek and he rested his forehead against hers.**_

"_**I would never survive it Sarah."**_

_**She shook her head in response. "You're so much stronger than you realize."**_

"_**You're my strength Sarah. I love you."**_

"_**Oh Chuck." The tears welled in her eyes. She leaned into his embrace, resting her head against his broad chest.**_

"_**You don't have to say it Sarah. I know this is hard for you."**_

"_**I want you to know Chuck…just how important you are to me…you're everything…and…you have to know…I DO love you…I think I always have." The tears fell freely now.**_

_**She raised her head to look at him. He met her eyes with a smile and bringing his hand up he wiped away her tears. "I know Sarah. I know."**_

_**He leaned in and pressed his lips softly against hers.**_

Chuck stirred slightly on the table. "Sarah." Her name escaped his lips as thoughts of her ran rampant through his mind. His lips curled up forming a smile on his face despite the obvious distress his body was under.

Orion jumped up from the computer and made his way over to Chuck. Casey had left them to themselves to go conference in with the General.

"Charles." Orion leaned in and spoke in hushed tones, resting his hand on Chuck's "I promise you, I will do whatever I can to help you son….You just need to hang on…give me some time to figure this out. Can you do that for me son?...I know I have no right to ask anything of you…but I can't lose you…Ellie can't lose you Charles. So you need to fight this…Please…Just fight…Fight like you've never fought before."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Alright there you have chapter 16. I hope you found it to be enjoyable; I would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for reading.<strong>_


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Okay so I know it has been about two weeks since the last update. I apologize to those of you who have been waiting for this. I have been pretty busy the past couple of weeks with real life and to be honest when I did have some free time the motivation to write just wasn't there, or I was just too tired to do it. Anyway here is the new chapter. Not a lot of movement, but still a little progression. Hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 17**

Orion worked diligently over the next 72 hours. He reviewed Chuck's brain scans countless times. He went over Dr. Mansfield's files with a fine tooth comb and spent hours re-configuring the intersect, while Chuck remained in an unconscious state throughout it all.

Orion glanced over at his son lying helpless on the table. He never wanted this for him. He never thought he would be involved in such things. He had done everything in his power to prevent that from happening, including leaving his family years ago to protect them. He thought his family had seen the last of the CIA when Orion had implored Bryce Larkin to intervene at Stanford when he learned that they were interested in recruiting his son. He thought his family was safe.

"How's it going?" Casey asked entering the room.

Orion looked up from what he was working on, just long enough to acknowledge his presence. "No changes." He replied.

Casey made his way over to Chuck coming to stand by his side. He frowned taking in his appearance. "Has he woken up at all?"

"Not really. He mumbles things every now and then, but he hasn't woken up."

Casey grunted in response. He seemed displeased. "Is he going to make it?"

The question caught him off guard. Orion looked up again to meet Casey's gaze. "That's the plan Major."

Casey turned his attention back to Chuck.

"You seem awfully concerned about him Major. What do you care whether or not he makes it or not. He may come out of this, but I don't know if the intersect will. What is your affiliation to him anyway?"

"He's my asset. Agent Walker from the CIA, well, she and I have been his handlers for the past year. She's the one that snatched him from CIA custody. She was trying to keep him safe until Fulcrum was brought down."

"Fulcrum?" Orion questioned.

"Fulcrum, it's basically a group of rogue CIA agents hell bent on taking over the world."

"I've heard mention of this Fulcrum."

"Yeah well, Fulcrum wants the intersect. Director Graham of the CIA, who we've been working with for the past year, is now believed to be the head of the organization. When the NSA found out, Beckman sent me to extract Bartowski from the underground CIA bunker. Imagine my surprise when I run into Sarah trying to do the same thing."

"Sarah?" Orion questioned.

"Yeah, that's Agent Walker. Bartowski's CIA handler."

"I've heard him call out for her. I thought maybe he had a girlfriend or something."

Casey grunted in response.

"What?" Orion questioned. "Is she his girlfriend?"

Casey shook his head. "Honestly, I don't know what she is to him these days. I know they are close and let's just say Walker's mission to retrieve Chuck wasn't exactly an official mission, it was one she took on herself without even knowing about Graham's affiliation with Fulcrum."

Orion looked at Casey with questioning eyes. "Why? Why would she do that?"

Casey rolled his eyes. "Look, like I said, I don't know what's going on between those two. I know Bartowski here has had a thing for Walker for some time now. I don't know if those feelings go both ways. Walker's a hard core spy and we all know spies don't fall in love."

Orion thought about his own situation. "I don't know about that Major. You can't help falling in love. Sure the agency may discourage it, but they can't stop it. What's meant to be will be."

"Hmm."

"So what happen with this Agent Walker anyway?"

"She couldn't do it anymore. These new uploads were taking its toll on him. She figured he needed professional help that she couldn't provide. She turned herself in and handed Chuck over to me so he could get the help he needed."

"She turned herself in for her asset?"

Casey nodded.

"She risked imprisonment to save his life?"

"Yup."

"Hmm. Why did she break him out of the bunker anyway if she didn't know he was in danger?"

"She didn't want him to have to live like that. She promised him it would never come to that."

"Hmm….Sounds like love to me." Orion replied.

Casey grunted. "I'm going to check in with Beckman, see if she was able to get any more out of Graham." Casey turned and made his way out of the room, leaving Orion alone with Chuck once again.

Orion made his way over to his son. He checked his vitals once again and took note of his monitor readings. He certainly seemed to have stabilized over the past few hours. Orion was hopeful that the intersect extraction would be successful.

* * *

><p>"<em>Chuck."<em>

_He turned to meet her gaze. "You're just giving up?...Sarah Walker never gives up."_

"_I have no choice. I'm not giving up; I'm doing this for you Chuck." A single tear made its way down her cheek._

"_I won't forgive you for this." He turned away from her again._

Sarah's eyes shot open. His words haunted her as they played over and over again in her head. 'I won't forgive you for this.' In all her years, Sarah Walker was never one to pray much, but it was something she found herself doing quite frequently this past week, more specifically the past few days. She prayed for Chuck's recovery, she prayed for his safety and she prayed for his forgiveness.

Sarah rubbed the sting from her eyes as she sat upright on the cold, steel bench. She stretched her arms up over her head and rubbed at the kink in her neck as she stood up to stretch her legs.

She felt as if she had been there forever. She wasn't even sure how much time had passed, but if she had to guess, based on the number of meals that had been brought to her she would have to say she was going on day three now. She had yet to be questioned by anyone. She assumed that was General Beckman's doing. Of course what exactly she did have planned for her she did not know.

She wished someone would give her an update on Chuck, on how he was doing, but that was yet to come, if it ever would.

"Oh Chuck." She paced the holding cell. It was all she could do. She had begged her guards numerous times to speak with General Beckman, but to her dismay her requests were ignored. Fortunately for her, no one took it upon themselves to torture her as means to an end. She was basically left alone. Alone with her thoughts, which in her mind was probably worse than any torture she'd ever had to endure or ever would.

* * *

><p>"Dammitt!" Orion pulled at his hair in frustration while Casey looked on. "I don't understand. Why isn't it working?" He said as he made his way over to Chuck. "Something isn't right, the extraction should have worked." He removed the sensors that were attached to his forehead.<p>

Casey was at a loss for words. Things seemed to be taking much longer than they had anticipated and without any progress.

"Is there anything I can do?" Casey asked.

Orion shook his head. "No, I just…I just need to think for a minute."

"Maybe you should take a break; you've been at this for days now. You haven't even slept. Maybe if you just get some rest you'll be able to think more clearly. Bartowski is stable; if anything changes I can wake you. There's a cot in the back room, next to the armory."

Orion sighed heavily as he ran his hand through his hair. "Maybe you're right. Wake me in a couple of hours, but if there are any changes at all come get me right away."

Casey gave him a nod and watched Orion walk out the door. He made his way across the room and took a seat at his computer and began accessing their databases. Beckman had been sending him updates on an encrypted network in regards to the Fulcrum take down. Casey opened the newest message from Beckman. A grin formed on his face. The last of the Fulcrum agents were being brought in and Beckman was making arrangements for Graham to be transferred to one of their highest security facilities. Casey was pleased with the progress on Beckman's end; he wasn't as enthusiastic about the progress on his end. His grin turned into a frown as he typed out his update to Beckman in regards to the progress with the intersect. Casey sighed heavily before clicking on send.

* * *

><p>He looked up as the door to the room opened; the light from the hallway illuminated the darkened cell. His gaze fell back to the floor when he saw that it was only her.<p>

"Well there's a nice welcome for you." Beckman said. "And here I came to bring you the good news."

Her statement caused his gaze to shift once again. He looked back up and met her eyes with his as she proceeded into the room.

"Now that I have your attention. I thought it might please you to know that Fulcrum has officially been eliminated."

Graham's expression changed dramatically.

"Well, I see that I have your attention." Beckman smirked.

"You think you have everything all figured out don't you? Fulcrum will never be eliminated. Not with the intersect still out there." Graham barked back at her.

"Well then, I guess it's fortunate for us that the intersect has been retrieved, along with your Agent Walker."

Graham looked at her in disbelief.

"That's right Langston. The NSA has both in custody as we speak." Beckman continued. "Now, the only question that remains is what to do with you."

"Where are you sending me?"

"Does it matter? You'll never get out."

"You know what they say Diane. Never say never." He replied with a smug look on his face.

Beckman frowned at his cockiness. "Transfer will be here within the hour." She stated before exiting the room and leaving him to his thoughts.

Once she had left the room, Graham's smug look turned to one of frustration. The news that the NSA had Bartowski in custody was not something he wanted the hear. He had no doubt in his mind that the NSA was working around the clock to ensure that the intersect was not going to be a danger anyone and that any sign of Fulcrum programming was removed. The thought of all his hard work going to waste was extremely unsettling for him.

* * *

><p>The unexpected opening of her cell door jolted Sarah from her thoughts. She sat upright on the steel bench as the guard entered her cell. Her focus shifted to the set of handcuffs he dangled from his hand.<p>

"Time to move out Agent Walker." He announced stepping closer to her.

Sarah stood up. "Where are you moving me?" she asked.

"General Beckman has requested your presence in D.C. Looks like you're going to get a chance to speak with her after all."

The guard twisted Sarah around so that her back was facing him. He pulled her arms behind her back and slapped on the handcuffs. Sarah tried hard to hide her frustrations. D.C was not where she wanted to be going, unless of course that is where Chuck was transferred to, but she had a feeling that Casey would have brought him back to Burbank. But then again what did she know, maybe he was in D.C.. Regardless, at least she would have a chance to finally speak with Beckman and hopefully get some answers.

The guard led Sarah out of the cell and the two made their way to the car that was waiting outside the facility to take them to the private jet that was waiting for them.

* * *

><p>"Any changes?" Orion asked Casey as he entered the room where Chuck was being kept.<p>

Casey looked up to acknowledge him. "Nahh. He's still sleeping. Vitals are good though."

Orion made his way over to the two men.

"You didn't sleep very long." Casey stated, looking at his watch.

"It was long enough." Orion replied.

Orion moved in to check Chuck's vitals. Just as he did Chuck began to stir. He moaned lightly as his eyes fluttered open.

"Charles?" Orion spoke up as Chuck's gaze came into focus. His hand moved to his forehead.

"Ahh, I have such a headache." Chuck squinted his eyes in an effort to dull the pain.

"Just try to relax Charles."

Chuck's eyes opened once again. He could have sworn he recognized that voice. He turned his gaze in the direction it had come. Everything was still a bit blurry.

"Where am I?" he began to panic.

"Relax, you are safe." Came Orion's voice once again.

This time Chuck's focus remained fixated on the man who stood before him. A blur of an image, but the voice. He knew that voice.

"Dad?" he questioned.

Orion swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. Casey turned his attention to Orion who looked dumbfounded.

"Dad?" Casey questioned. Orion just shook his head; he wasn't sure what to say.

Casey pushed Orion aside and leaned down to speak to Chuck.

"Bartowski? You're back in Burbank. You're at our old secret base, under the Buy More."

Chuck's eyes closed as he took in Casey's words. "Sarah." Her name escaped his lips. "I missed you." He said gazing into Casey's eyes.

Casey pulled back. A look of disgust on his face. He turned his attention back to Orion. "Clearly he is disoriented. He thinks you're his father and he thinks I'm Agent Walker."

"Let him rest." Orion replied. "I have an idea."

Orion headed back over to his computer. "I think I've been looking at this all wrong." He began to explain to Casey. "I've been trying to remove the intersect as a whole. But he has two separate programs in his head right now. The original intersect, and then the new uploads, this 2.0. They are two completely separate programs and I think what is happening is, the two programs are fighting against each other for control of his brain. I think what we need to do is remove the intersect piece by piece, starting with the new uploads."

"And you think that will work?" Casey questioned.

"I'm fairly confident that it will."

Casey nodded in agreement, "Then do it. Just help him."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay so one more chapter down, not sure how many more remain at this point. Anyway I hope you enjoyed it and as always I look forward to any feedback you want to leave me. Thanks for reading.<strong>_


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Okay so I realize it has been about 2 weeks for an update, unfortunately real life has been more than overwhelming lately, so I apologize for the delay and hopefully my readers are still out there.**

**This chapter has some more dream sequences, just a reminder, those are italicizes so as not to confuse you all. Hope you enjoy the chapter and I thank you for your patience.**

**Chapter 18**

Orion smiled as he looked at Chuck's latest brain scans. The extraction process was working. From what he could tell the portion of the 2.0 that was in Chuck's brain had been uploaded in a series of 5 different series. He would have to remove them one by one and according to his latest scans 3 of them had already been removed successfully.

"How's it coming along?" Casey asked as he entered the room.

Orion looked up at him. A look of hope spread across his face. "Good." He showed Casey the brain scans and explained to him how he was able to remove three of the new uploads and was hopeful that the remaining two would be removed within the next few hours.

"That's great. And this extraction isn't causing him any more damage?" Casey asked.

"Everything appears to be in working order. No adverse effects. Of course we won't know for sure until he is conscious."

Casey nodded. "That's good. That's real good. Beckman will be pleased to hear all of this." Casey's own mouth curled up into a smile. This was the first good news he had since they brought Chuck in nearly 4 days ago. "I'll let you get back to work while I go update the General."

Orion nodded in agreement and turned back to his task at hand.

* * *

><p>Sarah stared in silence out the small window of the private NSA supersonic jet. Despite the fact that the jet basically had them in D.C. in no time, Sarah felt like it was the longest trip of her life.<p>

She was beyond eager to speak to General Beckman. She had been out of the loop for at least 4 days now. She needed to know what was going on with Graham and Fulcrum and more importantly, with Chuck.

She sighed heavily as the pilot announced their decent as they approached the airport. Sarah could see the bright lights through the darkness that lined the runway. She closed her eyes as she rested her head against the window. It wouldn't be long now.

Once the plane landed Beckman's agents quickly escorted Sarah to the car that awaited them. It was a fairly short drive to the holding facility where Beckman was awaiting her arrival. It had only been a mere 2 hours ago that she had shipped Graham off to one of the highest security prisons in the country. And now, here she sat waiting to question Sarah.

The door opened and Beckman looked up from her laptop. She stood up when she saw her agents enter escorting a cuffed agent Walker. Beckman took in her appearance. She looked run down, tired. She had large black circles under her bloodshot eyes. No doubt from lack of sleep.

"General, where would you like her?" one of the agents asked.

Beckman motioned to the nearby chair.

The two men guided her over to it and forced her down into it. "Will there be anything else General?"

"That'll be all, thank you." She replied.

As they passed by her once again, one of the agents dropped the keys to Sarah's cuffs in her hand. She waited for the agents to leave before turning her attention back to Sarah. Beckman approached her slowly, looking her over carefully.

"Agent Walker. I have to say I was a little surprised to learn of your involvement in all of this." The General said as she approached the young agent in front of her.

"General, I can explain." She started.

"That won't be necessary." Beckman replied cutting her off. "Major Casey has filled me in on your role in all of this."

"He has?" Sarah looked hesitant.

"Yes. I have to say I was a bit surprised to learn that the major implored your assistance on this mission. It's not really his style to ask for help, especially from someone affiliated with the CIA. I know the partnership between you two didn't exactly start off on the best of terms."

"No General, it certainly didn't" Sarah replied.

"Yes, so when the Major told me you were involved, well I'm ashamed to admit, I immediately thought the worst. I assumed you had gone rogue, but Casey made it very clear to me that that wasn't the case and you were simply assisting your old partner with his mission."

"He did?" Sarah was surprised to hear all of this. She had no idea, that Casey had defended her to Beckman.

"He did. That is what happened isn't it Agent Walker?"

Sarah swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. "General, I can assure you, my only intentions were to assist in Chuck's extraction …to keep him safe." It wasn't a lie. That was her intent all along.

Beckman nodded. "I am glad to hear to that. Of course we will be questioning the intersect concerning your involvement with all this as well. Once he is capable that is."

"Once he's capable? General, is Chuck okay? His condition seemed to be deteriorating quite rapidly last I saw him." Sarah looked up at the General with concern in her eyes.

"Yes, well you did the right thing my turning him over to the NSA. Orion has been working diligently over the last few days to try to remove the 2.0 uploads that Graham was responsible for. The major just updated me about an hour ago. Things seem to be progressing rather nicely with the extraction and they are hoping it will be completed soon."

Sarah released a huge breath; she didn't even realize she had been holding, causing Beckman to give her a questioning look.

"Agent Walker, I have to say I am a bit surprised with your overwhelming display of concern you show for your asset, I have to ask..."

Sarah tried to avert the General's gaze.

"Agent Walker, have you been compromised?"

* * *

><p><em>With a big yawn, he gave his arms a stretch before rolling over onto his side. He was surprised to find the other side of the bed vacant. He reached out with his hand and ran it over the cold sheet. Had it all been a dream? Was she a figment of his imagination? No, he pulled the pillow to his face. He could still smell her perfume from last night.<em>

_Chuck moved to sit up. He was about to go in search of her, just as his bedroom door opened. He formed a smile with his lips when he saw her enter the room, wearing nothing but one of his old Star Wars t-shirts and a smile._

_"Hey, you're awake." She moved closer to the bed, carrying a tray of food._

_"What's all this?" he asked propping himself up on his elbow. Sarah sat down on his side of the bed, placing the tray between them._

_"I thought I would treat you to some breakfast in bed."_

_Chuck reached out with his hand, gently caressing her cheek before leaning in and kissing her softly on her lips._

_"Sarah, you didn't have to do that. Thank you." he replied as he pulled away. "And good morning."_

_Sarah smiled. "Good morning." She replied with a smile. "Sleep well?"_

"_I always sleep well when you stay over." He leaned back in for another kiss. Her hand came up and she ran her fingers through his curls as he continued his assault on her lips._

"_Mmm Chuck." She spoke through labored breath. He hesitantly pulled back just enough to look in her eyes._

"_Hmm?" He questioned, as his gaze fell back to her lips._

"_Chuck…your breakfast…It's going to get cold." Her own eyes now focusing on the lips of the man mere inches away. The heat radiating from both of their bodies, drawing them closer and closer to one another like a magnet._

_Chuck smiled. He reached for the tray that sat between them, separating them. With two hands he carefully placed it on the floor clearing the space between them. He brought his hand back up to her cheek and caressed it lovingly._

"_Sarah…breakfast can wait."_

_Sarah smiled in response and leaned in to him seeking out his lips with hers. Chuck fell back against his pillow, bringing Sarah down with him, his hands circling her waist and drawing her body into his._

_Sarah ran her hands over his bare chest, while he simultaneously caressed her bare thigh causing the t-shirt she was wearing to ride up. Chuck rolled Sarah over onto her back and hovered above her as his lips continued their sweet torture on her. She moaned in pleasure against his lips and he pulled away with a smile._

_Chuck stared lovingly into her bright blue orbs. "Have I mentioned how much I love waking up with you in the morning?" He brushed some stray hairs behind her ear and away from her face. His thumb gently stroking her cheek._

"_I love you Chuck."_

_No matter how many times she said those words to him, every time felt like the first. His heart was pounding. If he didn't know better he would have thought it was about to beat right out of his chest._

"_And I love you."_

"What's the verdict?" Casey asked coming up behind Orion and looking over his shoulder.

Orion looked up at him with a glare, indicating Casey needed to back up and give him some space. Casey took his cue and backed off and Orion turned his attention back to his computer screen.

"The last of the 2.0 is being extracted now. Should be another 10 minutes or so to complete." Orion stood up and came to stand next to Casey.

Chuck stirred a bit on the table. "Is he in pain?" Casey asked stepping closer to his former asset.

"No. I think he's dreaming. He's actually been quite content considering what his body is going through." The two men watched him intently. Almost as if on cue, a smile formed on Chuck's face. "It must be some dream." Orion continued.

"Sarah." Her name escaped his lips. It was barely audible, but Casey heard it clear as a bell. He released a small grunt and shook his head in disapproval. He wasn't sure what exactly had gone on between Chuck and Sarah on their little excursion but he couldn't help but think that nothing good was going to come from it, especially if Beckman found out about it.

* * *

><p>"General, I'm not sure what you're getting at or what you're implying." Sarah tried to defend herself.<p>

"Sure you do Agent Walker. I'm asking if there is something going on between you and Bartowski."

"General, Chuck and I are friends…close friends. I care about him, so if that makes us compromised then yes I guess we are."

"I'm not talking about friendship Agent Walker." Beckman sighed heavily as she approached Sarah. "Look, I don't care what you do in your personal life, that's your business. As hard to believe as you may find it, you are allowed to have a life outside of all of this."

Sarah looked up and looked the General in the eyes.

"But when personal relationships interfere with your job or national security for that matter then the agency has no choice but to intervene."

"General, I can assure you that any kind of relationship that I have with Chuck would never get in the way with my job."

Beckman remained stoic as she took in Sarah's last statement. "Yes, well see to it that it doesn't." Beckman retrieved the handcuff key from her pocket and moved in to remove the cuffs from Sarah's wrists.

"Would you like something to eat?" Beckman asked, tossing the cuffs down on the nearby table before turning her attention back to Sarah. Sarah looked up at her rather surprised as she rubbed at her newly freed wrists.

"No, I'm fine."

"I'm holding you here for a few days Agent Walker until I get this whole mess figured out. Director Graham has been detained and thanks to some help on the CIA's part, Fulcrum has been brought down. I spoke with the president earlier and he is appointing a friend of mine as the new acting Director for the CIA. You may have heard of him, Samuel Johnson."

"I've heard his name throughout the agency." Sarah replied.

"He's a good agent and has been quite helpful in bringing down Fulcrum. Once I speak to him, I'm sure he'll agree to your return to active duty."

"General, about Chuck. What's going to happen to him?"

"That Agent Walker is yet to be determined."

"But he won't be going back to a bunker right?"

"Like I said Agent Walker, Mr. Bartowski's future is yet to be determined. No decisions will be made until we know the final outcome of the extraction."

"But General, you yourself said Fulcrum was no longer a threat. That means Chuck's identity is safe. He should be safe."

Annoyed with her persistence, the General pressed the button on the table beside her, summoning two of her agents. The door Sarah had come through earlier opened and the men entered.

"Enough questions Agent Walker. My men here will escort you to a holding cell where you will await your transfer."

The agents pulled Sarah to her feet and led her to the door.

"Agent Holmes." Beckman spoke up stopping them from going any further.

"Yes General?" he answered.

"Put her in the cell in the back. The one with the bed."

"Yes General."

"Let her get cleaned up first. Give her something to change in to and get her something to eat." Beckman continued.

Sarah made eye contact with Beckman once again. She didn't have to express her gratitude to the woman; their eyes seemed to say it all. Sarah simply gave her a nod of the head and allowed the agents to escort her out of the room.

* * *

><p>"Why don't you go get yourself something to eat and get some rest? I'll stay with him. Let you know when he wakes up." Casey said to Orion who looked like he was having a hard time keeping his eyes open.<p>

Orion rubbed the sting from his tired eyes. "Yeah, I could use a break." He said standing up from his chair. Casey watched him leave the room. The 2.0 extraction was complete, now all they had to do was wait for Chuck to wake up to ensure there were no adverse effects. Once they were sure of it. Orion could then go ahead with the extraction of the original intersect. Casey was amazed at how Orion had been working around the clock. All to help some computer nerd from Burbank. Casey had to ask himself why? Why would this guy go out of his way to help Bartowski? Some kid he didn't even know.

Casey pulled up a stool next to Chuck. He grabbed his chart and looked it over. All of Chuck's vitals appeared to be in normal ranges. He was still in a pretty deep sleep but Orion didn't want to wake him. He felt it would be better for Chuck to wake up naturally, on his own. So now, all they could do was wait.

"_I can't believe you're making me watch this movie again?" Sarah said as she plopped down on the couch next to him, placing the large bowl of popcorn on the coffee table in front of them. She curled her legs up underneath her and settled into the sofa facing him._

"_Oh come on Sarah, you know you love it." He scooted closer to her on the couch and draped his arm over her shoulder. She leaned in to him. "Besides, you know what's great about watching something we've already seen before?"_

_She looked up at him with questioning eyes._

"_We can make out and not worry about missing something important." He said with a smile._

_Sarah chuckled. "And what makes you think I want to make out with you?"_

"_Because sweetheart, you find me completely irresistible." _

"_Oh do I?" Sarah asked with a smirk._

"_That's right. You are utterly defenseless against my charms and once I come at you with the Bartowski eyebrow dance, you'll be a goner." Chuck teased wiggling his eyebrows up and down for her._

_Sarah began to laugh. He was right about one thing; she did find him completely irresistible._

_Sarah leaned into him some more resting her head against his chest. He tightened his grip on her and placed a kiss on the top of her head. _

"_You better just start the movie Chuck." Sarah said snuggling in to him._

_Chuck smiled as he reached for the remote. He hit the play button and tossed it down on the table. With his free arm he reached for the lamp next to him and shut it off. Leaving them with nothing but the glow from the TV to set the mood._

_Sarah laughed. "Really?"_

"_Shh, honey I'm trying to watch the movie."_

* * *

><p><em><strong>3 hours later…<strong>_

Chuck's eyes shot open. He found himself staring up at a white ceiling. He yawned and stretched his arms before trying to sit up.

Casey noticed the movement out of the corner of his eye and quickly made his way to Chuck's side.

"Bartowski?"

Chuck looked over to the man approaching him as he continued to sit himself up.

"Casey? Where am I?" He asked taking in his surroundings.

"You're back in Burbank. We're in our old secret base." Casey answered.

Chuck rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he sat completely upright on the exam table, swinging his legs over the side. He groaned as he stretched some more. His back was incredibly stiff from laying there for God knows how long.

"What happened?" Chuck asked.

"You don't remember?"

Chuck thought hard, it didn't take him long to recall what was happening. The last thing he remembered was seeing Sarah's face as Agents ushered her away. He had said things to her that he didn't mean. Things he wanted to take back.

"Sarah? Casey, where's Sarah? Is she okay?" Chuck was now in full blown panic mode.

"Relax Bartowski. She's fine. She's in D.C with Beckman."

"D.C.? Why? Casey they arrested her."

"I know. She knew the risks when she called me."

"She didn't do anything wrong Casey."

"Look you don't have to plead her case to me Bartowski. Save your breath."

"What are they doing to her Casey?"

"I don't know, but we have to trust Beckman."

"I want to talk to her. Why am I here anyway?"

"Don't worry Chuck; I'm sure Beckman has plenty to talk to you about. The reason you are here is because Orion has been working on removing the 2.0 uploads."

"Orion? He's here?" Chuck was surprised to hear this.

Casey nodded.

"Well great. So can he remove them?"

"He already did? Took him four days, but they're out."

"What? Four days? I've been here for four days?"

Casey nodded again.

"But they're gone?" Chuck asked.

Casey nodded a third time. "How do you feel?"

"I..fine…I guess…I just….Casey, I want to see Sarah."

Casey grunted. "What's going on with you two anyway?"

"What?…Nothing…we...Whatta ya mean?" Chuck became flustered.

"Look Bartowski, It's no secret you've had a thing for Walker. I have to say though I'm a little surprised with her. Never pegged you for her type."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Chuck began his protest. "Well….yeah…alright. But what makes you think she has a thing for me anyway?"

"Well for starters, CIA agents don't just up and break their former assets out of bunkers for the hell of it."

"We're friends Casey; she made a promise to me that she wanted to keep."

Casey gave him a look. "Nor do they turn themselves in, risking a life of imprisonment or worse, for just anybody. Not even a friend."

"Look Casey, I don't know what you want me to say."

"I don't want you to say anything Bartowski. In fact, the more I think about it, I don't want to know what the deal is between you two. I'm just warning you, this kind of life, being a spy; we're not exactly good relationship material. So whatever you think is going to happen between you two…Look I just don't want you to get your hopes up alright. Walker's not like your other girlfriends. She's a spy. We're our own breed. We're just wired differently."

"Casey with all due respect, being a spy doesn't mean you're not a human being. It is okay to feel things, and that goes for you too."

Casey grunted again, it was obvious he was getting irritated with Chuck based on the growing intensity of the grunt. There was nothing he hated more than when the nerd started in with all the lady feelings. Before he had a chance to respond, the door opened catching them both off guard. Casey turned to talk to the man, blocking Chuck's view.

"He just woke up." Casey told the man. "There doesn't appear to be any adverse reactions."

Casey turned back around to face Chuck.

"Chuck. Meet the man responsible for you still being here with us."

Casey stepped aside revealing the man in their presence. "Chuck meet Orion."

Chuck looked up. His eyes locked with the man responsible for saving his life. The man responsible for giving him life.

"Dad?" He questioned.

"Charles. It's good to see you son."

The room fell silent. Chuck sat there in disbelief staring into the eyes of the man who had abandoned him years ago. The man who had hurt him so.

"What?" Casey asked completely confused by the scene unfolding before him. "Orion is your father? Is this some kind of a joke?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Chuck added.

"Look Charles, I know you're confused right now, and you must have a lot of questions, but the important thing right now is seeing that you're alright." Orion replied stepping in closer in an attempt to exam his son.

Chuck stood up from the table. "No! I don't want you touching me."

Orion and Casey both stood motionless.

"Charles. I know this must be confusing for you." Orion started.

"Confusing? No, no not at all. This sort of thing happens all the time. Lots of kid's fathers leave them when they're young, only to come back years later to remove corrupted computer programming from their heads."

"Charles."

"I don't want to hear it!" Chuck replied with a raised voice.

"Can somebody please tell me what is going on?" Casey chimed in.

"Casey… this…" he gestured to the man standing across him "is my father, Stephen Bartowski. The man who abandoned Ellie and I, leaving us to fend for ourselves years ago."

"Your father is a spy?" Casey asked.

"So it would seem." Chuck was clearly upset by this news and was having a hard time wrapping his mind around it.

"Son if, you'll just let me explain." Orion spoke up.

"I don't want to hear it! Casey I want to talk with Beckman now!"

Casey nodded. "I'll see if I can get her on the phone." Casey turned his attention to Orion. "Maybe we should give him some time alone."

Orion nodded and reluctantly followed Casey out of the room, turning one last time to look at his son before closing the door.

Chuck began pacing the small room. He couldn't believe this was actually happening. He had thought about what a reunion with his father someday might be like, but never in his wildest dreams did he think it would have ever gone down like this. He just couldn't believe it. His father was a spy. Not just any spy, but the spy responsible for creating this thing in his head. His blessing in disguise. His curse. He had so many questions for the man. But right now the only one he could think of was, why.

* * *

><p>"Am I hearing this correctly?" Beckman asked. "Are you telling me that Orion is none other than Steven Bartowski, Chuck's long lost father?"<p>

The two men looked up at the monitor. "Yes General. Charles is my son."

"And you didn't think it was important to share that little bit of information with me?" Beckman continued.

"General, with all due respect. My identity has been kept a secret for well over twenty years now and for good reason. The less people who know my true identity the better."

"I understand your desire for anonymity but this is your son we're talking about here."

"Exactly. All the more reason for the secrecy. When I originally designed the intersect. I vowed not to ever allow my work to affect my children. I knew it was a dangerous business. I had to leave them behind to protect them. Now I find out my son uploaded the very thing I tried to protect him from into his head. His life is in danger every day because of it. Because of me…I'm not going to add to that by making it known to everyone out there that the inventor of the intersect is his father. I am asking you to…no…I'm begging you both." Orion turned to Casey as he spoke, "keep this a secret…please, for my family's sake?"

Beckman sighed, "Fine, it stays between us. Is that clear Major Casey?"

Casey nodded. "Yes General."

"Thank you." Orion replied.

"Now that we have that settled, tell me, how is Chuck doing now that he is awake?" Beckman asked.

"There doesn't seem to be any side effects. He is quite upset about the Orion situation though. Oh and he's asking to speak to you. He's inquiring about Walker." Casey reported.

"Very well. Give him another hour to cool off then I'll have a conference call with him."

Beckman was about to sign off when Orion stopped her. "General, about the intersect."

"What about it?" She asked.

"Well, now that I have successfully removed the 2.0 uploads, I'd like to go ahead and start work on the extraction of the original design."

"You want to remove the only intersect we have?"

"Yes General, I believe it would be in everyone's best interest to just remove it and destroy it."

"Not the government's. The intersect has proven to be a huge advantage to us in the past. If we were to destroy it, well the consequences could be catastrophic."

"General, wasn't it the plan to have the intersect removed after Bartowski downloaded it in the first place? Isn't that why you sent Dr. Zarnow?" Casey replied.

"Yes, well a lot has changed in a year. The intersect has proved to be a great asset to us, despite the unconventional methods of its host. Perhaps we have been going about this all wrong. Maybe instead of trying to remove the intersect, we should focus on teaching Bartowski how to use this tool properly."

"General, what are you saying?" Casey questioned.

"I'm saying, maybe it's time for Bartowski to become a real spy"

* * *

><p><em><strong>I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for reading; I look forward to your reviews. Also for anyone who is interested, I wrote a Thanksgiving fic last year if you want to check it out, in my story archive, it's called Chuck vs. The First Thanksgiving. <strong>_


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Okay, so I know it has been another two week update, but I kind of got caught up in this other story I have been writing (Hopefully to be posted soon). It was just something that was stuck in my head and I couldn't really concentrate on anything else until I got it out. Plus I wanted to take my time with this chapter. I haven't proofed this as many times as I normally do, so it there are any mistakes with grammar or what not, you'll have to forgive me. Hope you all enjoy it. Also, I can't for the life of me remember if i responded to the feedback on the last chapter. I always respond to each message, so if i didn't I apologize and wish to thank you for your reviews. **

**Disclaimer: I unfortunately own nothing.**

**Chapter 19**

"Mr. Bartowski, it's good to see you up on your feet again." Beckman spoke eyeing the anxious man who stood before her over the monitor. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine General, but I would like to know what has happened to Agent Walker."

"Mr. Bartowski, I don't see how that is any of your concern." She replied sternly.

"How can you say that? She saved my life. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't be here and the government wouldn't have their precious intersect."

"Yes, well we do owe Agent Walker for that."

"I want to see her. I need to talk to her."

"Mr. Bartowski. You seem to have a real emotional attachment to Agent Walker. What exactly happened between you two out on the road?"

"Sarah and I are friends. I care about her very much."

"Some might say too much." She replied

"And those people would be wrong General."

"You know Mr. Bartowski, in my experience, when agents get too emotionally involved with one another, mistakes happen."

"I'm not an agent General."

"Not yet." she replied.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He asked clearly confused by her statement.

"Chuck, the intersect may not have been meant for you, but you got it. You are an intelligent man, The CIA tried to recruit you back when you were at Stanford. Had Bryce Larkin not stepped in and had you kicked out, I have every reason to believe you would have been working for the government for years now."

"General, I'm not a spy. Yeah I can do some analysis here and there, some computer hacking and flash on things, supplying my handlers with information that may come in handy, but they are the real spies. I can't do what they can. Not without those 2.0 uploads and you saw how well they worked out for me.

"Chuck, the 2.0 was merely an aid. You did those things. With the proper training you can do them without the 2.0?"

"You don't know that General."

"Chuck do you think that Major Casey and Agent Walker could do what they do before their training?"

Chuck contemplated her question. It wasn't something he had every really given much thought to before and honestly why would he. They were super human as far as he was concerned. How could he ever be like them?

"General, I'm not like them."

"You're right Chuck, you're not. You have the potential to be better than them. Your country is calling to you. So tell me Chuck, are you ready to become a spy?"

* * *

><p>Casey and Orion had been waiting outside the conference room for nearly half an hour. Both of them were on the edge of their seats waiting to hear what Chuck and Beckman were discussing. Orion hoped more than anything that Chuck and Beckman would allow him to remove the intersect from his head, finally ridding him of this burden and allowing him to live a normal life. One that didn't involve gunfire, explosives and other life threatening situations.<p>

Casey had mixed feelings about it all. He had seen firsthand the benefits associated with the intersect, but constantly feeling like a babysitter was certainly not what he had signed up for when he joined the NSA. He was ready to get back to real missions, leading his own teams. He was never one for partners, of course he had to admit, Walker had turned out to be a pretty good one, in fact she was probably the best spy he had ever worked with, and truth be told, if he had to choose one she would be his first pick.

It was another 10 minutes before the door to the conference room opened and Chuck appeared in the doorway.

"She wants to speak to you both." he said stepping aside to allow the men to enter the room.

"General?" Casey addressed her as he approached the monitor.

"Major Casey. Orion. I just wanted to let you both know that I still have some final details to work out, but after my long discussion with Mr. Bartowski, we have decided to leave the intersect as is for the time being."

A look of disappointment and worry washed over Orion's face, which didn't go unnoticed by Chuck.

"Mr. Bartowski will remain here for the next 24 hours to make sure there are been no adverse effects to the 2.0 extraction. He will then be free to return to his home and his life while he awaits further instruction. Casey, until details are worked out, you are to keep an eye on Bartowski. Orion, I'd like you to stick around for a while until final decisions are made. Any questions?" She asked.

Orion stood silent.

"General. What about agent Walker?" Casey asked.

"I am in negotiations with the new CIA director right now. I have every reason to believe Agent Walker will be exonerated and go back to full active duty. As far as her role with the intersect project, that has yet to be determined."

Chuck gave Beckman a knowing look.

"But, she has been a great asset to this project. Hopefully she can pick up where she left off. I don't want to involve any more agents than necessary with all of this. The intersect needs to remain top secret. Bringing in more agents and exposing them to all of this just complicates matters."

"I have to agree General. It has taken Agent Walker and I some time to learn how to work with one another. I would have to get accustomed to a new partner. Agent Walker has more than proved she is more than capable."

"Yes Major, I am well aware of Walker's capabilities."

Casey gave a nod and took a step back.

"I will be in touch with all of you." Beckman stated before signing off.

Casey turned his attention to Chuck who had been standing off to the side of the room. "You were in here a long time with the General. What were you talking about?" Casey asked.

"The future. The intersect." he replied.

"Charles, I don't understand why you don't just let me remove that darn thing from your head. You could be done with all of this." Orion turned to his son.

"Maybe I don't want to be done with all of this."

"Since when?" Casey mumbled under his breath.

Orion shook his head. "You're not a spy son."

"And you're not a father so stop calling me son!" The words came as a surprise, both to Orion and Chuck.

"I'm just going to step out, let you two chat." Casey said backing towards the door and ducking out of the room.

'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that." Chuck replied.

"Don't apologize; you have every right to be upset. And you're right, I'm no father. I never was."

Chuck could hear the sadness in his voice.

"You were when you were there." he replied.

"You know I never wanted to leave you kids. Neither did your mom."

"What? Is...she...a part of all this too?"

"Not the intersect. That was my baby."

"Then how..."

"She's a spy too Charles. She got caught up in something bad a long time ago."

Chuck looked at the man he once called dad like the man had just grown a second head.

"She had gone missing for years. She never left us Chuck. She was taken from us."

Chuck's hand covered his mouth. He began pacing the room as he felt his temperature rising. "I can't believe this. And you knew about this? You knew all along that she didn't leave us but you let us believe that she had? Do you have any idea what that did to Ellie and I? How that affected us for years? How it still does?"

"Charles, I am sorry. I am sorry that you and your sister had to go through all of that. But everything your mother and I ever did was to protect you two. We had been in the spy business long before your sister and you came along. We tried the best we could not to involve you two in our affairs. We tried to keep you safe. We ultimately came to the conclusion that the only way to do that was to leave. We didn't want anyone connecting you two to us. It's all we could do to keep you safe."

Chuck could feel the tears welling in his eyes, but he refused to cry. He'd be damned if this man was going to get one more tear from him.

"And mom?"

"She's safe."

"So you two were just off on a little spy vacation, hiding out, while Ellie and I struggled for years to come to terms with being abandoned by our parents?"

"Charles, I'm sorry."

"You should be. You missed everything. Do you even know that Ellie is an incredible doctor? A neurosurgeon no less. She had to take on everything when you left. She took care of me, she paid the bills, and she put herself through college and med school, graduating at the top of her class."

"I know."

"What do you mean you know?"

"This may come as a surprise to you Charles, but your mother and I were there for it all. We school graduation too. I'm the one who had Bryce Larkin intervene at Stanford. The CIA was about to recruit you, I couldn't let them. As much as your mother and I wanted to be with you two and as much as it pained us for you to think you were on your own, we were always looking out for you. I'm sorry you two couldn't know that."

"Wait a minute. You know Bryce? You are the one that had me kicked out of Stanford?"

"Charles, the CIA is relentless when they want someone. With your skills, it was only a matter of time. I had to get you out of the picture."

"Did you know that all I wanted was to graduate from a top notch school like you did? I wanted to make you proud. I wanted to make something of myself, but no, I've spent the last 6 years of my life working at a Buy More. It's all your fault."

"I'm sorry Charles and I'm sorry that you feel that way."

"So am I."

* * *

><p><strong><em>The next day...<em>**

Sarah was shaken from her thoughts when one of Beckman's agents entered her holding cell.

"Time to move out." he announced. "The General is waiting for you."

Sarah jumped to her feet and allowed the agent to lead her through the complex to where Beckman was patiently waiting.

"Agent Walker, you are being extracted back to Los Angeles."

Sarah's face lit up.

"The CIA director is willing to reinstate you. They have been holding your old hotel room since you left. Once you arrive in Los Angeles, you are to go directly to your hotel. Do not make any attempts to contact Mr. Bartowski. Is that clear?"

Sarah nodded; she was too tired to argue tonight. "Yes General."

"Tomorrow, I want you at headquarters by 10:00 for a briefing with Major Casey, myself and the new CIA director. Is that clear?"

"Yes General."

Beckman gave her agents a nod and they led Sarah to the waiting car that would be taking her to the airport.

* * *

><p>"So Beckman gave the clearance." Casey said approaching Chuck in the common area of their headquarters. "Said you could head out of here, go home."<p>

"What am I supposed to say to Ellie and Devon? How am I going to explain being gone for so long and not even calling them?"

"I don't know from what I've seen your sister seems pretty forgiving." Casey replied.

"Yeah."

"You might be interested to know that Agent Walker is enroute to L.A. as we speak." Casey looked at his watch. "She should be touching down within half an hour. The CIA has been holding her hotel room for her, but you didn't hear this from me." Casey said turning his attention back to the computer screen in front of him.

Chuck was now smiling ear to ear. "Thanks Casey. I think I will head out." Chuck no sooner got the words out and he was out the door.

* * *

><p>By the time Sarah had landed in L.A. she was completely and utterly exhausted. She wanted to see Chuck more than anything, but knowing that he was safe and back with his family offered her a little comfort. She was too tired to argue with Beckman tonight about not letting her see Chuck, but Beckman and this new CIA director would definitely be hearing it tomorrow. One more day she kept telling herself. One more day. She would be seeing Chuck tomorrow no matter what.<p>

There was a car waiting for Sarah at the airport. She made it to her old hotel in record time. When she entered it was almost as if she had never left.

"Good to see you back Miss Walker." The doorman greeted her.

"It's good to see you too James." She made her way to the front desk where they provided her with her key and then headed to the elevator, too tired to tackle the stairs.

The elevator stopped on her floor and she exited it, making her way towards the familiar hallway. She could barely keep her eyes open. She had two things on her mind right now, a hot shower and sleep.

When he heard the elevator he poked his head around the corner. He was doing his best to stay out of sight. His heart nearly beat right out of his chest when he saw her round the opposite corner.

She stopped halfway when she came to her door. With a shaky hand she retrieved her key from her pocket and inserted it into the key hole. Just as she was about to turn the key, she felt a hand on her waist. Sarah was about to revert to full blown agent mode until she heard his voice.

"Relax. It's just me." He whispered in her ear.

Sarah's breath caught in her throat as his other hand came to rest on the other side of her waist. He stepped in closer so that her back was pressed up against him.

"Chuck?" she managed to choke out.

His hands circled around her from behind and he pulled her into him as close as he could. "Yeah it's me." He spoke in her ear. His hot breath tickled the side of her face. He grazed his lips to the side of her forehead.

"I'm not supposed to see you tonight." She spoke, her hand even more shaky now as it rested on the key still in the key hole.

He brought his hand over hers and turned the key. The door opened and the two of them stepped inside. Chuck hit the light switch on the wall, lighting up the room and closed the door behind them.

It wasn't until they were securely inside the hotel room that Sarah finally turned around to face him.

Her eyes met his and an overwhelming feeling of joy and relief overtook her. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in for a hug. "I was so worried. Are you okay?"

His arms closed around her waist. "I am now."

She looked up at him again and their eyes locked. Chuck's hand came up to caress her cheek. Leaning in he brushed his lips softly against hers kissing her sweetly. When he pulled back she leaned back in, pulling him in for another kiss. Their lips parted and he rested his forehead against hers.

"I was told not to go see you tonight. If Beckman finds out…" She said breaking their silence.

"You didn't come see me. I came to you."

"Chuck." She tried to protest.

"I owe you an apology." He said.

"An apology? For what?" She was clearly confused.

"For what I said to you the last time I saw you. That I would never forgive you. He stroked her cheek with his thumb as he cupped her face in his hands.

"Chuck, you don't have to apologize. You weren't yourself."

"Yes, I do. After all you had done for me. I had no right to treat you like that."

"No Chuck, if anyone deserves an apology it's you."

"Me?"

Sarah nodded her head. The tears began to well in her eyes. "I'm so sorry Chuck. I thought I could save you."

"What?"

"I'm sorry I broke my promise to you."

"Sarah no." He took both of her hands into his. "You did save me. You saved me the day I met you. Look, it's no secret that when we met I was in a pretty bad place back then. Always feeling sorry for myself, feeling worthless and like I had no meaning. You changed all that the day you walked into the Buy More and into my life. You save me Sarah. You saved me."

Sarah smiled up at him. "I think I could say the same thing about you Chuck Bartowski. You make me a better person. You make me feel things I never thought I would. I was dead inside before I met you and you brought me back. You saved me too Chuck."

He smiled in response at her before pulling her into a hug. They held one another for a few minutes just enjoying the feel of one another's embrace. They parted slightly and Chuck stared into her eyes. With his hand he tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"I can only imagine how I must look." She said, embarrassed by her disheveled appearance.

"You look beautiful. A little tired though."

"I am exhausted. I really need to take a shower."

Chuck nodded. "Okay, so you want me to head out? We can meet up tomorrow."

"No!" the response came quick and without hesitation.

Chuck looked at her with questioning eyes.

"I don't want you to leave Chuck. I still want to talk to you. I want to know everything they did to you. Their plans for you, everything. Will you wait for me while I take a shower?"

"Of course." He said with a smile.

Sarah made her way over to her drawers and opened them. Her belongings were still there. When she left, she was only allowed to take a small suitcase so she had to leave most of her things behind. She grabbed a tank top and pajama shorts and headed off towards the bathroom.

"I'll be quick." She said.

"Take your time." He replied, watching her disappear into the bathroom.

* * *

><p>As good as the hot water felt, Sarah made it a quick shower. She was eager to get back to Chuck. It wasn't even ten minutes later that she emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered, running a brush through her wet tresses.<p>

Chuck was sitting on the far side of her bed. His back resting against the headboard, playing with his new cell phone that the agency had given him. He looked up when he saw her.

"That was quick." He said.

She smiled. "I told you I wouldn't be long."

Sarah sat down on the opposite side of the bed with her back facing him as she continued to brush through her hair.

"Do you feel better now that you've showered?" he asked.

"A little." She replied.

Seconds later, Sarah felt the bed shift behind her. Chuck scooted up behind her on his knees. He caught the brush in her hand mid stroke and took it from her. He gently began to running the brush through her hair. She closed her eyes and reveled in the feeling.

"Beckman suspects there's something going on between us." Chuck finally said breaking the silence.

Sarah's eyes shot open. She turned her head slightly to look at him reaching for her neck as she did. "I know." She replied.

"What's the matter?" he asked referring to her neck.

"Nothing, I just have a kink in my neck. I haven't exactly had the best sleeping accommodations all week."

Chuck smiled. "Yeah me either." He set the brush down on her night stand. "Here. Let me." He said. Placing his hands on her neck, he began to gently massage it, eliciting several soft pleasure filled moans to escape her.

"That feels really good Chuck. Thank you."

He leaned into her and brushed his lips against her cheek. "You're welcome."

After a few more minutes of silence while Chuck worked out the kink in her neck, Sarah spoke up, breaking the silence between them once again.

"Chuck?"

"Hmm?"

"Chuck remember that day down at the lake?"

Chuck smiled. It was one of his favorite memories from their little excursion and something he had been thinking about a lot over the past few days.

"Of course." He replied.

"What you said that day…about…about me…falling in love?"

"Yeah?"

Sarah swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, it was now or never. "Chuck, I think you were right." She turned to face him. "Not that I really have any experience with this, but I do know I've never felt like this before. Chuck, I'm pretty sure I'm falling in love with you." She twisted her body to face him.

Chuck was momentarily speechless, mainly out of surprise. Sarah Walker was actually sharing her feelings with him. He knew how difficult that was for her.

Her defenses came up when he didn't respond immediately and she looked down to avert his eyes.

Chuck smiled. He reached for her chin and gently lifted it to look him in the eyes. "I love you too Sarah."

Her eyes lit up at his words. He leaned in and kissed her tenderly on the lips. When their lips parted she brought her hand up and stroked his cheek. "I know it's only been a week Chuck, but I've really missed you." The tears welled in her eyes as she spoke.

He pulled her in closer to him. "I missed you too." His lips sought out hers once again and as tired as she had been when she first arrived home, she seemed to have found her second wind.

"Chuck. Stay with me tonight? I don't want to be alone." She pleaded with her eyes.

"Baby, I'm not going anywhere." Placing his hand on the back of her head he pulled her into him. Their lips crashed against one another in a deep, heated exchange.

Her hand slid slowly down his neck, sending shivers down his spine. His lips moved from hers to her cheek, trailing a path towards her ear. Sarah pushed him back towards the mattress and he looked up at her with a smile.

Her fingers moved to the buttons on his shirt and she began releasing them from their confines one at a time. Once the last button was free, she slowly climbed on top of him, straddling his waist. She smiled as she pushed the material from his shirt aside, revealing his bare chest. Sarah leaned down and began placing kisses on his bare flesh. Chuck moaned with pleasure.

"Sarah?"

"Hmm?" she managed to get out between kisses.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, praying silently that her answer was going to be yes.

She worked her way up his abdomen to his lips. "Chuck I've never been more sure about anything than I am about you. About us."

With a smile. Chuck captured her lips fervently. He flipped them over so that she was now the one on her back and he was hovering about her.

Sarah reached for the material from his shirt and pushed it off of his shoulders, allowing it to slide down his arms. Chuck assisted in the rest of its removal, never taking his lips off of hers in the process.

He slipped his fingers beneath the bottom edge of her tank top and slowly began sliding it up her body. With a mischievous grin on her face. Sarah flipped them again so that he was on his back and she was on top. She sat upright straddling his waist once again. Sarah pulled from the bottom of the tank top and lifted it over her head, discarding it somewhere on the floor.

Chuck's breath caught in his throat, as he took in her beauty. Why she was here with him he'd never understand.

"You're so beautiful Sarah."

Her face became flushed with embarrassment, which Chuck found absolutely adorable.

He clasped his hand behind her neck and gently guided her lips towards his again. Their bare flesh came crashing against one another's and they both could have sworn there was a spark of electricity that followed.

It was a long night of intense lovemaking at its best. And despite any partners either of them had ever had in the past, nothing had ever felt like this before. It was truly a first for both of them.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay, so we're not quite done yet, but we're getting there. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope I did the reunion justice. Thank for reading and I look forward to any reviews you want to throw my way.<strong>_


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Okay I know it's been a while, hopefully you didn't all forget about this story. Thank you all for your patience while I worked on my one shot 'Chuck Vs. The New Girl.' I was overwhelmed by your feedback on that story and because of that will work on a sequel once this story is done.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 20<strong>

Sarah laid motionless in the darkened room. She shifted her gaze to the clock on her nightstand. It was just after 5 in the morning. Her back rested up against his chest, his arm draped over her waist holding her close.

"Are you still awake?" he whispered from behind her.

"Yes." She replied.

He sighed heavily. "Is this weird for you?...You know…us…like this?"

"A little." She admitted. "I've never felt so many things…you know after… But it's a good weird." She said rolling over to face him.

He reached out and toyed with a loose strand of hair, tucking it behind her ear.

He shook his head. "It's more than that. Something's wrong. Are you…having regrets?"

"What?" Sarah propped herself up on her elbow. "No Chuck…never… This was perfect…You're perfect."

Turning on his side to face her directly, he caressed her cheek gently with the palm of his hand. "Then what is it?"

She turned her head slightly, trying to avoid eye contact with him.

He reached out and lifted her chin until her eyes locked with his. "Talk to me."

"I'm scared." The words were barely audible.

"Of what?" he questioned.

"I don't want to go back Chuck. Back to the way things were before. Before us…before this. I'm afraid that Beckman will split us up if she knew…That we'll be forced to go our separate ways."

"Sarah, that's not going to happen." He spoke with a confidence she didn't understand.

"You don't know that Chuck."

"Yes Sarah, I do." He replied.

She looked at him with questioning eyes and although it was dark in the room he could tell she had tears in them.

"I never got a chance to tell you about my meeting with Beckman earlier." He continued.

Sarah sat upright in the bed. "Tell me." She said hugging her knees to her chest.

Chuck paused for a moment before continuing. "She wants me to be a spy. A real spy Sarah."

"What?"

"The intersect was meant to go in the head of a real trained super spy. The government has never had any luck before uploading the intersect into one of their trained agents. Into anyone for that matter. Not until me….Instead of trying so hard to find a spy who can tolerate it, Beckman thought it might make more sense to make a spy out of someone she knows can handle it."

"Chuck this is crazy." She replied.

Chuck sat upright. "No Sarah it's not. It's perfect. If I still have the intersect in my head, they're not going to split us up. I told Beckman that unless she could guarantee that, then I would have my dad remove the original intersect like he did the 2.0."

"Your dad?" Now she was even more confused than before.

Chuck smirked. "That's right, you don't know yet."

"Know what Chuck?"

"My dad is Orion. He created the original intersect."

"What?"

"Yeah. Apparently both of my parents are spies. That's why they left us to fend for ourselves." he said coldly.

"To protect you." She said.

"What?"

"They left to keep you and Ellie safe." She stated.

"You agree with what they did?...How they lied to us for years, how they abandoned us?"

"No Chuck." She turned to face him. She placed her hand on his arm. "I didn't say that….Look when you become a spy…well the agency makes it very clear to its agent that this job is not for the family oriented person. It's all about secrets and lies. You never know when you're going to be asked to pick up and leave without notice. Every mission you go on could be your last. Every time you walk out that door, you don't know if you're coming back. Anyone connected to you is a target. The only way to protect them is to distance yourself. I'm not saying that what your parents chose to do was the right thing, not for you and Ellie anyway. I'm just saying… I understand it… That's why most agents don't have families."

Chuck was quiet as he contemplated her words. "I never…I never thought about it like that. When you're a kid and your parents leave you, you think it's something you did, or that they just didn't love you enough to stick around."

"It must have been heartbreaking for you and Ellie. I'm sorry you two had to go through that."

"I was really hard on him Sarah. The things I said…"

"Chuck, I'm sure he realizes this has to be incredibly difficult for you. Just talk to him."

Chuck nodded. "I don't want to leave things the way they are now."

"It's not too late." She reassured him.

Chuck nodded in agreement. "I'll talk to him tomorrow."

"Good…Now, getting back to the intersect." She said changing the subject.

Chuck looked up at her.

"Chuck are you crazy? You have the opportunity to have it removed and you're not jumping on that? We spent the last year trying to get this thing out of your head."

"I know Sarah... It's just…"

"It's just what?... Chuck, you have said numerous times that you wanted nothing to do with the spy life, that you wanted to keep your family and friends out of danger, and now you're ready to just dive right into that kind of life. You don't know what you're getting in to."

"Sarah, the CIA was going to recruit me out of college before Bryce had me kicked out. I know that I'm not the athletic, ass kicking type that you and Casey are, but I'm smart and I have skills to offer. Beckman assures me that everything else can be taught."

"Chuck this is a bad idea."

"Why?... Sarah, I'll be a trained agent."

"I won't be able to protect you if you are out there on your own Chuck!" her voice was raised, taking Chuck by surprised. It was clear to him that she was not thrilled with this idea by any means.

He reached out for her and pulled her into his arms. "Hey, come on Sarah. You don't always have to be there to protect me. I am a grown man after all."

"With that thing in your head, you are also the most wanted, the most sought after piece of intelligence in the world. You'll always be a target, you'll never be safe."

"You're really mad about this?"

She didn't respond.

"I thought this would be good for us. We'd be together. I'd be trained, I could protect myself. It's not your job to protect me anymore Sarah."

"I'll always protect you Chuck, whether it's my job or not."

He ran his hand up and down her back and she rested her head against his chest.

"I don't want you to be mad at me about this." He said.

"I know you have the best intentions here. I just worry. If something were to happen to you…"

"Just hear Beckman out okay. If things ever get so bad, removing the intersect is always an option now with Orion."

"I guess." She replied. Chuck leaned in and kissed the side of her forehead.

"Don't be mad at me Sarah."

"I'm not mad at you Chuck."

She turned to face him and kissed his cheek.

"What am I your grandmother?" he asked, eliciting a smile from her.

He leaned in and pressed his lips gently against hers. His legs intertwined with hers under the covers.

"Mmmm." She leaned back in kissed him again rolling him onto his back.

"Mmmm Sarah… you do realize that we have a conference with Beckman in a few hours and you haven't even gotten any sleep yet?"

"Chuck I haven't had any real sleep in over a week, what's one more day?" she said leaning back in to capture his lips. He caressed her naked body under the sheets and she was quick to respond.

* * *

><p>Casey and Orion were already waiting at the secret base located under the Buy More when Sarah showed up.<p>

"Agent Walker." Casey greeted her with a nod as she entered their old secret base.

"Casey." She greeted her old partner in return.

"Walker, this is Orion." Casey said introducing her to the man on his left.

Orion stepped up and offered her his hand. So this was Chuck's father she thought. She stepped forward and offered him her hand with a smile.

"Orion. It's nice to finally meet you." She said.

"Sarah right?" Orion asked.

She gave him a nod.

"Charles called out your name quite a bit over the last few days while I was working with him."

"Oh." She replied, surprised by this revelation. "I didn't realize."

The large monitor on the wall lit up and General Beckman appeared before them. "Good morning agents. If you wouldn't mind Gentlemen I am going to ask you two to step out while I have a few words with agent Walker.

"Uh, sure General." Casey replied. He gave Sarah a look as if to wish her luck as he and Orion left the room.

"Agent Walker, I just want to let you know we will be joined shortly by Director Johnson, after which time your fate with the agency will be revealed. Before that happens I do want to make it clear to you that if Johnson decides to keep you on that you are expected to act professional at all times."

"Of course General." Sarah spoke up.

"There's no room for slip ups here. I don't know exactly what your relationship is with Mr. Bartowski, but he has made it very clear to us that the only way he will work with us, is if you are part of the team. You're a good agent Walker, but I'm not about to let personal feelings between my agents effect the performance of what I believe to be one of the most elite teams out there. Is that understood?"

"General are you saying that any kind of relationship other than that of asset and handler between myself and Chuck is forbidden?"

"Walker, what I am saying is don't mix business with pleasure. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes General, I understand." Sarah was trying to hide her smile. Beckman wasn't saying that she couldn't have a relationship with Chuck so to speak, she was simply saying; leave it out of the spy game.

"Bartowski will be joining us today for the briefing as well. Let me know once he has arrived." Beckman disconnected their feed and the screen went blank.

Sarah moved to the door and opened it, allowing Casey and Orion to re-enter the room.

"How did it go?" Casey asked.

"Okay, I guess. The new CIA director will be joining us on our briefing shortly."

Casey grunted. "Hopefully this one can be trusted."

"We are just waiting on Chuck. Beckman says to let her know once he has arrived."

Sarah no sooner got the words out and the three of them were turning their attention to the door as they heard it swing open. All eyes were on Chuck as he entered the room.

"Right on cue." Casey announced.

Sarah's eyes followed Chuck as he descended the stairs. He had to run back to his apartment for a change of clothes this morning after having spent the night with Sarah. His eyes locked with hers and they shared a smile. He felt as if it had been days since he had seen her and his initial reaction was to run up and scoop her up in his arms and plant a kiss on her. He did his best to fight the urge.

"Well, now that we're all here, I guess I'll let Beckman know we are ready for her." Casey said making his way over to the monitor.

Chuck and Sarah shared another look with one another as he made his way further into the room. He gave her a wink and she smiled.

"Charles how are you feeling?" Orion asked interrupting the little exchange between the two.

Chuck looked up at his father. "Fine." He said. "I'm feeling fine."

Chuck turned back to Sarah. "Sarah have you met Orion…my father?" he asked.

Sarah smiled, "We just met."

"Good morning team." Beckman interrupted as she appeared on a split screen with another man in uniform. "This is Director Johnson; he will be taking over for Graham."

"Hello team." He addressed them. "Agent Walker, I believe we have some business to discuss."

Sarah took a deep breath and stepped up to the monitor. "Director." She addressed him.

"Agent Walker there has been a lot of speculation throughout the agency regarding you. It seems everyone has an opinion when it comes to your future with us."

Sarah swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. "Yes sir."

"Fortunately for you, I am the one who gets to make that decision. While we're still a little unclear as to your motives for assisting Major Casey with the NSA's retrieval of Mr. Bartowski, it is clear to us that you had his best intentions in mind. Had you not done what you did, the intersect would be in grave danger. We also have no reason to believe that you were involved in any conspiracy that your former Director may have been involved with. That said, we are willing to reinstate you. General Beckman and I will be working closely on this intersect project. Mr. Bartowski has chosen to become a full-fledged agent, but he will need training."

"Major Casey this is where you come in." Beckman spoke up. "You, Agent Walker and your new partner will be working closely with Mr. Bartowski to train him properly."

"New partner?" Casey questioned.

The door opened and a young brunette walked in.

"Sabrina?" Chuck questioned.

The rest of the team looked to Chuck for answers. He clearly knew this girl.

"Team, this is Agent Sabrina Andrews. She's CIA." Beckman chimed in. "She was stationed at the bunker where Bartowski was being housed. She was the agent who assisted us in obtaining Graham's incriminating files and computer drives that led to his arrest. She has proved to be instrumental to bringing Graham and Fulcrum down. She is also the newest addition to your team."

Sarah and Casey looked at one another. Neither of them had ever been big on having partners. It took them nearly a year to learn how to work together and now they had to throw someone else into the mix.

"I suggest you four take some time to get acquainted with one another. You will be based out Burbank. Personnel will be arriving later today to give your headquarters there a makeover so to speak. The government is investing a lot of money into this team. Chuck your training will commence next week. The four of you have this week to rest up. Director Johnson and I will be in touch. Oh and Orion, we thank you for your services, but you are free to leave town if you so wish to do so."

"Agent Walker, I will be in touch with you." Director Johnson spoke up before the screen went blank and his and Beckman's faces disappeared.

Once the briefing ended, all eyes were on Sabrina. Chuck was the first to speak. He moved towards her a big smile on his face.

"This is great Sabrina. You are going to love your new team. Sarah and Casey are the best."

Sarah moved in next to Chuck. She was a little taken by his reaction to another girl joining their team, particularly one he seemed rather friendly with.

Sarah forced a smile as she extended her hand to her. "I'm Sarah." She said. "This is Casey." She gestured to the brute standing behind her. "Really great work securing those files. It was just what we needed to put Graham away for good."

"Yeah well, I think I just got lucky." She replied.

"Don't be ridiculous Sabrina. I always told you, you'd have your chance to shine one day. Your skill set far exceeds that of a personal assistant." Chuck added with a smile.

"Casey, maybe you can show Agent Andrews around our headquarters here so she can familiarize herself with it and our equipment." Sarah suggested.

Casey grunted in frustration and motioned to the young agent to follow him. The two of them left the room leaving only Chuck, Sarah and Orion.

Chuck turned to his father. He knew they had some unfinished business.

"So now what?" Chuck asked. "Do you just pick up and leave? Go back into hiding again?"

"I don't have a choice Charles." He replied.

"Of course you do." Chuck replied. "You always have a choice dad."

"Charles I would love nothing more than to stay here with you and your sister, but I can't."

"You owe Ellie an explanation." Chuck protested.

"I know." Orion admitted.

"Have dinner with us." Chuck suggested. "Before you leave. You owe Ellie that much."

Orion nodded. "You're right. You're absolutely right Charles. Set it up, I'll be there." He replied as he made his way for the door.

"Dad!" Chuck called out after him.

He turned to look at him. "I'm sorry about what I said last night. I was angry and I said some things I shouldn't have."

"You said what needed to be said." Orion corrected him.

Chuck exhaled deeply. "Regardless, it wasn't very nice and I'm sorry."

"Charles, you don't have to apologize."

"I do and I am, so I hope that you can accept it. You have to understand though, I am still pretty upset about all of this." He turned to look at Sarah who offered him an encouraging smile. He looked back to his father. "But I'm not ready to write you off just yet."

Orion smiled. Perhaps there was hope for them after all. "Okay Charles. I'm looking forward to dinner with you and Ellie."

"I'll talk with her tonight. How's tomorrow at 6:00?"

Orion nodded. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card with a phone number on it. "Call me with the details." He said making his way up the steps towards the door.

"Agent Walker, it was very nice meeting you." He said.

"You too Orion."

"Call me Steven." He replied. And with that he walked out the door.

Chuck stood there, his gaze focused on the door that his father just walked through. Sarah came up next to him placing her hand on his arm. "You okay?" she asked.

"What?" he asked turning his attention back to her. "Oh, yeah…yeah. I'm fine."

"How did everything go at your sister's?" She asked.

"Good. Both she and Devon are at work. I was able to get in and out without any confrontations. Guess I'm in the clear until later."

Sarah's gaze shifted to the floor. She reached out for his hand and took it into her own. "So, this Sabrina?...You know her?"

"Well, like Beckman said she was stationed at the bunker. She used to bring me things I requested. Movies, video games, magazines, those kinds of things."

"But you guys are friends?" she asked.

"Well I don't know if I'd call us friends as much as acquaintances. Why? What's this all about?"

"Nothing, I just…well…you just seemed really excited about seeing her is all. Like you guys were close or something."

"Sarah are you…are you jealous of Sabrina?"

"What? No! Of course not, don't be ridiculous." She seemed appalled by the idea.

"Look Sarah. I was locked up for quite a while. Sabrina is the only one that would give me the time of day. She's the only one who would carry on a conversation with me or answer my questions. She's just a nice girl."

"I'm sure she is Chuck." Sarah said with a fake smile.

"What is that?" he asked.

"What is what?" She turned to avoid his gaze.

"Sarah." He placed his hand on her arm and turned her back around to look at him. "Sarah?" he questioned. "What's going on?" He pulled her in close to him. She pulled away; looking around to make sure no one was around to see them.

"Chuck." She warned him. "Not here."

He released her and she backed away. He gave her a questioning look.

"Okay, I admit, maybe it threw me a little bit the way you acted when you saw her." Sarah said.

"So you were jealous then?" he asked with a smirk.

"Maybe… I don't know… I've never felt like that before. All I know is when she looked at you and smiled, I…well I kind of wanted to claw her eyes out."

Chuck laughed as he stepped in closer to her. He took her hands into his. "Please don't do that." He said with a smile. He pulled her closer until her body was pressed up against his. "You know, you're kind of sexy when you're jealous." His gaze fell to her lips briefly before leaning down and brushing his up against hers.

"Mmm Chuck. Not here." She said again, reluctantly stepping back to create some more distance between them. "General Beckman made it very clear that any personal relationships we have are to remain just that…personal…meaning… this… doesn't happen at work. We can't flaunt this relationship."

Chuck sighed heavily. "Okay, okay." He said still holding on to her hands. "To be continued." He said with a wink.

Chuck and Sarah released hands when they heard the voices of Casey and Agent Andrews coming back into the room.

"I'm really looking forward to working with this new team." Andrews said. "You guys are like the dream team. You've been the talk of the agency over the past year. Any agent would kill to be a part of it."

Casey gave her one of his pleased grunts and a crooked smile.

"I take it you're happy with our set up here?" Sarah asked.

"It's great; I can only imagine what it will be like once the renovations are done." Sabrina replied.

The four of them talked shop a little longer. Sarah found herself staring intensely at Sabrina, which didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the team, particularly Sabrina.

"Is everything okay Agent Walker?" Sabrina asked.

Everyone's attention turned to Sarah. "Yeah. I'm sorry…I just…You look so familiar…Have we met before?"

Sabrina laughed. "I think I would remember meeting the legendary Sarah Walker."

Sarah smiled. "I guess maybe I just have you confused with someone else." Sarah decided to just brush it off and move on.

Casey decided to call it a day. He packed up his belongings and made his way for the door. Agent Andrews followed. She wanted to get over to her hotel room and get settled in. Like Sarah, she too was being put up in another hotel across town. The two left, leaving Chuck and Sarah to themselves.

Chuck turned to Sarah. "How about some lunch?" he asked.

She smiled, "That sounds good. Where do you want to go?"

Chuck stepped in closer to her with a mischievous grin on his face. "How about your place? We could get some room service."

Sarah placed her hand on his chest to stop his advances. "How about the deli down the street?" she replied.

Chuck threw his head back in defeat. "Well you can't blame me for trying he said."

Sarah grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the door.

* * *

><p>"Alright man, I'll see you guys tonight." Chuck spoke into his new government issued cell phone just before hanging it up.<p>

"Was that Devon?" Sarah asked sitting across from him at their table. She picked up her drink and took a sip.

"Yeah. Ellie is in surgery. He said she was going to be thrilled to hear I am home. He expects me to be there for dinner tonight. Ellie's making pot roast."

"She is going to be so happy to have you home."

"You're coming with me right?" he asked with pleading eyes.

"Chuck, do you think that's a good idea? The whole story about you leaving town was because of us breaking up."

He reached across the table for her hand. "And now we're together. So yes, I think it's a great idea. Besides Ellie loves you, she will be thrilled to see you too. Please come."

"Okay. If you want me there, I'll be there Chuck."

He brought her hand to his lips and placed a kiss on it. "Thank you." He said with a smile.

Sarah leaned in and cupped his face with the palm of her hand, stroking his cheek softly. Their foreheads resting against one another's as they gazed into one another's eyes.

Sarah traced his bottom lip with her thumb before leaning in and pressing her lips against his. He caressed her knee under the table.

"Are you sure you don't want to go back to your hotel room?" he asked.

* * *

><p>"What else did he say?" Ellie asked as she moved about the kitchen franticly putting the finishing touches on her pot roast.<p>

"Not much, just that he was home and he was sorry he hadn't been in touch. He said he would explain tonight." Devon replied.

"How did he sound? Did he sound sad or depressed?" she asked.

"No, he sounded good, like he was glad to be home."

"I hope so."

Devon came up behind Ellie and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Would you relax? He's home, that's all that matters right now."

"I can't help it. I haven't seen him in months. I can't even imagine how depressed he had to have been to be gone for that long. My God Devon, look how long it took him to get over Jill. It's different with Sarah. He's never looked at anyone the way he looks at her. I know that what he felt for her far exceeds anything he ever felt for Jill."

"I know babe."

"I just…I don't want to say the wrong thing here."

"You won't." he reassured her. He leaned in and kissed the side of her forehead.

Ellie turned in her fiancé's arms. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she hugged him. Their embrace was interrupted when the door to the apartment swung open.

"Knock knock." Chuck's voice radiated throughout the apartment.

Ellie tore herself from Devon's embrace and charged for her brother. "Chuck!"

He laughed when he saw her coming at him. Chuck held his arms open for her. She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed tightly. "Hey sis." He said greeting her.

"I can't believe you're here!" she squealed.

Chuck spun her around in a circle before dropping her back to the ground. "I missed you too Ellie."

Once Ellie was securely back on the ground, she swung at him, giving him a jab in the arm. "You, Chuck Bartowski, have a lot of explaining to do!" she said with a raised voice.

"I know I know Ellie. I'm sorry for taking off the way I did and I'll explain everything, I promise."

"You better." She replied. "Are you hungry?" she asked with the hint of a smile.

"Always." He replied.

"Good. I made a pot roast."

"Do you think you have enough for one more?" he asked.

Ellie looked at him with confusion. Chuck turned his attention back to the door he had just come through. Sarah appeared in the doorway.

Ellie looked to Sarah and then back to Chuck. A huge smiling began to form on her face. "Are you guys…are you guys back together?" she asked, the excitement more than evident in her voice.

Chuck held his hand out to Sarah. She walked towards him and took his hand into hers.

"We're together." Chuck replied. His gaze focused on the blonde standing in front of him.

Ellie squealed once again and pulled Sarah in for a hug. "I'm so happy for you two."

"Speaking of happy. I hear we have some celebrating to do." He said holding up the bottle of champagne he had been trying to conceal behind his back. His eyes fell to the piece of jewelry that now adorned his sister's finger. "Congratulations you two."

Ellie held out her hand to show Chuck and Sarah. "Isn't it gorgeous?" she said as Devon came to stand next to her. His hand snaked around her waist.

"It's beautiful Ellie." Sarah commented.

"Not nearly as beautiful as the woman wearing it." Devon chimed in.

Chuck extended his hand to his soon to be brother-in-law. "Congratulations man."

"Thanks bro, and welcome home."

* * *

><p>The four of them enjoyed a wonderful dinner that Ellie had made. She had a lot of questions for her brother and he answered them as best as he could.<p>

Chuck was never one to be dishonest with his sister, but in this case, he couldn't chance putting her at risk. He was as vague as possible with his answers and surprisingly she didn't press him any further.

Chuck's story centered around Sarah's initial excuse of them breaking up. Chuck had left town to figure things out. He wanted time alone. He got rid of his phone and cut off communication with everyone. Two weeks ago he contacted Sarah and the two reconciled, after which they decided to head back home to Burbank and well here they were.

"We're just glad to have you home Chuck. Both of you." She said turning her attention to Sarah.

Chuck reached for Sarah's hand and gave it a squeeze. "We're glad to be home." He said. "Although I have to admit, we certainly had our moments these past couple of weeks." He offered her a smile and she gave him one in return.

The next couple of hours were spent catching up with one another, celebrating Chuck and Sarah's homecoming, and Ellie and Devon's engagement.

Come 11 o'clock, Ellie found herself yawning uncontrollably. "I think I'm going to call it a night. I need to be to work early tomorrow. I have an 8:00am surgery." Ellie stood up, Devon followed suit.

"I'm right there with ya babe." He said.

They said their goodnights and headed for their bedroom leaving Chuck and Sarah to themselves on the couch.

As soon as he heard Ellie's bedroom door close, Chuck realized that he never told her about their father. Or about their dinner with him tomorrow night. Oh well, no sense in ruining a perfectly good night he thought. He wasn't expecting Ellie to take too kindly to the news, considering the way their father had left them. He decided the news could wait until morning.

Chuck was situated on the end of the couch, Sarah resting up against him, their fingers intertwined with one another. His other arm draped across the back of the couch.

"It is getting late." She admitted. "I should probably head out too."

"Whoa, whoa whoa, what do you mean head out? I thought you would stay." Chuck replied as his lips grazed her neck from behind.

Sarah felt chills up her spine as his hot breath tickled her neck. She turned to face him. He kissed her tenderly on the lips.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" she asked.

"I think…that…it's a …fantastic…idea." He said between kisses.

Sarah found herself getting caught up in his advances.

"Mmm…You're killing me Chuck."

He pulled away with a mischievous grin. He moved his eyebrows up and down in one last attempt to woo her. Sarah laughed.

Chuck stood up and extended his hand to her. She accepted with a smile and he pulled her to her feet. He sought out her mouth one last time before leading her back to his bedroom.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Well there you have it, one more chapter down and one more chapter closer to the end. When will it end you ask? That's a good question, and once I know the answer I will be sure to let you know. Thanks for reading. I look forward to any reviews you want to throw my way.<strong>_


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Okay, so I know these chapters have been coming slower now, but at least they're still coming right? Again I just want to thank all of you who have been sticking with this story and who continue to leave be reviews and encouraging words. They mean a lot. Hope you enjoy the chapter.**

**Chapter 21**

Sarah laid tangled up in the sheets, watching him intently. He had his back to her as he stared into the mirror at his appearance. He wrapped the thin gray tie around his neck and began his old morning ritual as he prepared for his first day back to the Buy More.

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted her staring at him through the mirror.

"Enjoying the show?" he asked with a smirk as he turned around to face her.

"Kind of." She replied with a warm smile as she sat upright, the sheets wrapped securely around her as he advanced towards her. His knee hit the mattress and he moved in towards her greeting her with a soft kiss to the lips.

"Good morning." He finally said offering a proper greeting.

She smiled as she played with the gray tie that hung from his neck. "Good morning." She replied.

"Easy there on the tie, that's part of my uniform, it's regulation you know."

Sarah laughed, "Sorry, I guess I just can't help myself. I've always been a sucker for a man in uniform."

"Oh yeah?" Chuck pulled back and stood up once again. "You like this?" he gestured to his customary black pants and white nerd heard shirt. "Well brace yourself, because this might just send you over the edge." He walked across the room to his dresser and grabbed the final piece of his uniform. He turned to face her again as he tucked the pocket protector into his shirt pocket and proudly showed it off.

Sarah laughed hysterically. "You are such a nerd."

Chuck smiled in response. He moved back in and sat on the edge of the bed. "True, but you knew that before you got involved with me."

Sarah's laughter died down. "What can I say? I guess I have a thing for nerds."

She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. It didn't take Chuck long to respond to her and in a matter of seconds they found themselves in a heated lip lock.

The two were eventually forced apart by the incessant honking of a car horn outside the apartment. Chuck reluctantly pulled away with a sigh.

"Casey?" she asked.

Chuck nodded. "I guess I better go. Don't want to be late for my first day back."

"No, we wouldn't want that." She replied.

"Are you good here? Ellie and Awesome have already left for work."

"Yeah, I'm going to head out soon. Go home and shower."

"You can shower here you know." He offered.

"I could…If I had any clean clothes to change into.

"Oh right." He leaned back in and kissed her again.

Sarah abruptly pulled away. "Did you talk to Ellie about dinner with your dad?" she asked.

"Well I mentioned the dinner, didn't get into the whole dad issue, I didn't want to set her off before work. I'll talk to her at lunch or something."

"Alright, well good luck."

"Thanks, I'm going to need it." He leaned back in to kiss her one last time. He only intended for it to be a quick kiss on the lips, but once again the two found themselves getting caught up in the heat of the moment.

The honking started up again, followed by a "Let's go Bartowski!" grunt from outside his window.

"Aggghh! Dammitt Casey." Chuck jumped from the bed. He grabbed his black messenger bag and flung the strap over his shoulder.

"And good luck with that." She said referring to Casey.

"Thanks." He replied and ran out of the bedroom. Sarah heard the apartment door close, followed by a flustered Chuck as she heard Casey reaming him out for keeping him waiting. Seconds later she heard the screeching tires of a 1985 Crown Victoria peeling out of its parking spot.

* * *

><p>Chuck took a deep breath as he stood outside the doors to the Buy More. After everything that had happened the last few months, he honestly didn't expect to ever step foot inside it again, yet here he was.<p>

"Come on Bartowski, we're already running late." Casey grunted as he moved past him entering the store, mumbling something about the government coming up with better covers for them than working at the Buy More.

Chuck exhaled and followed him into the store. Casey stormed off towards the employee's locker room while Chuck made his way up to the Nerd herd desk, where he saw Jeff and Lester lounging about.

"Well well well, the prodigal son returns." Jeff commented.

"Hey guys." Chuck greeted them.

"Bartowski, we knew you'd be back." Lester chimed in. "Honestly, where else would you go?" he said with a laugh.

"Chuck!" he heard his name being called from across the store. He turned to see a green blur rushing towards him. "You're back?" Morgan pulled his best friend in for a hug.

"Morgan." Chuck greeted him.

Morgan placed his arm on Chuck's shoulder and guided him away from the Nerd Herd desk and towards the home theater room. Morgan didn't speak again until they were both inside with the door closed.

"Chuck. I'm so glad you're back. Listen I know you went through a hard time with this whole Sarah thing, but you're back now, and honestly who better to help you get over her than your best buddy. I have lots of plans for us. For starters, tonight we're going hit this new club downtown. Two single studs like us on the prowl. The ladies don't have a chance."

"Morgan." Chuck tried to intervene.

"I'm so glad to have my wingman back. You'll see Chuck. After tonight, you won't even remember Sarah's name.

"Morgan." Chuck spoke his name again.

"Yeah buddy?"

"Morgan, about Sarah and I."

"I get it Chuck; you don't want to talk about her. She burned you. I won't bring her name up again."

"No, Morgan, you're not listening…Look, Sarah and I…well we made up…We're together now."

"You're back together?" Morgan asked.

Chuck nodded.

"So you're not all depressed over her? It's not going to be a repeat of the whole Jill debacle back in the day?

"No." Chuck replied.

"Dude that's awesome." Morgan slapped Chuck a high five and pulled him in for a hug. "So everything is back to normal then?"

Chuck laughed, "Well whatever that is."

"Great, so, what do you say to a night of Call of Duty? We can grab some meatball subs, maybe some sizzling shrimp, whatever you feel like. Make a night of it."

Chuck laughed again. "Definitely Morgan. I'll have to take a rain check though. I have dinner plans with Ellie tonight. I can't cancel this."

Morgan pulled his friend in for a hug. "Alright buddy. I understand. Maybe tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll get back to you on that."

"Sounds good." Morgan gave his friend one last pat on the back. "It's really great to have you back man."

"It's good to be back Morgan. You have no idea."

* * *

><p>Sarah stepped out of the shower and wrapped her towel around her. She made her way towards her bedroom to search her closet. She no sooner made it into her room and her phone began to ring. She looked at the clock. It was nearly noon; Chuck must be on his lunch break she thought. She moved to retrieve her phone. She was a tad disappointed to see that it wasn't Chuck. It was a CIA encrypted line.<p>

"Hello?" she answered.

"Agent Walker?" the voice on the other end questioned.

"Yes." She replied.

"Walker this is Director Johnson."

"Oh…Director….Hi…Is there a problem?" she asked.

"Not a problem really, but something that needs your attention. I need you in D.C tonight."

* * *

><p>"Chuck why are you being so weird about this dinner tonight? What aren't you telling me?" Ellie spoke into her phone taking a seat at the table where Devon was already sitting waiting for her in the hospital cafeteria.<p>

Devon looked at his fiancé, wondering what had her in such a tizzy.

"Look Ellie, there is something I haven't told you, it's just…well I don't know how you're going to react to it." Chuck's voice came through on her cell phone.

"Chuck, just tell me." She pleaded.

"Alright… Well we are having a special guest for dinner."

"A special guest?" she questioned. "Who? Why the secrecy Chuck?"

Chuck swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. "It's dad Ellie."

Ellie froze at his words. Several seconds passed and she had yet to respond to his revelation.

"Ellie say something."

Chuck was shocked to hear his sister erupt into a fit of laughter.

"Ellie?" he questioned.

"I'm sorry Chuck. I thought you said our father was having dinner with us."

"Ellie, I did. Dad's going to be to the apartment tonight at 7:00."

"No…Chuck, that is…how?"

"Look I spoke to dad yesterday. He contacted me. He's apparently passing through town and he wants to get together for dinner…Look Ellie, I know we both have a lot of feelings of resentment towards dad for leaving and all, but it can't hurt to hear him out. You can even tell him about your engagement. You always said you dreamed of dad walking you down the aisle one day."

"Chuck….I….I don't even know how to comprehend this right now."

"I know Ellie…This is big. I'm sorry I had to break it to you like this…I just…I wanted you to know before he showed up tonight."

"So…what? Now I'm supposed to go home tonight and cook this wonderful dinner for the man who walked out on us, leaving us to fend for ourselves?"

"No, Ellie...Look you don't even have cook anything. I'm going to order out, you don't have to lift a finger."

"Chuck, I can't believe you're springing this on me like this." She was clearly upset with him.

"I know Ellie, but would you have rather I waited and just let him surprise you by showing up tonight?"

Ellie sighed heavily into the phone. "No."

Chuck looked at his watch. "Look Ellie, my break is just about over; I have to get back to work. I'll see you at home okay."

"Yeah. I'll see you at home." She replied before hanging up the phone.

Ellie set her phone down. She rested her elbows on the table and held her head in her hands.

"Babe, what's the matter?" Devon asked, placing his hand on her arm and scooting his chair closer to her.

"You're never going to believe this." She replied.

* * *

><p>The next four hours were probably the longest Chuck had ever spent at the Buy More. Once his shift was over he rushed back to the apartment.<p>

Ellie and Devon weren't due home from work for 2 more hours. It only took Chuck 15 minutes tops to tidy up the place thanks to his sister's neat freak lifestyle that both he and Devon had now become accustomed to.

His father had texted him earlier to confirm the time for tonight and to make sure they were still on. Chuck replied back to him after he had broken the news to Ellie earlier.

Just as Chuck was finishing fluffing the couch cushions there was a knock on the door. He checked his watch and quickly moved to open it. He breathed a huge sigh of relief when he saw Sarah standing there before him.

"Oh. You are a sight for sore eyes." He said.

Sarah took note of his frantic demeanor. "Everything okay Chuck?" she asked stepping inside the apartment.

Chuck leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Oh don't ask." He replied shutting the door behind her.

"I take it you finally broke the news to Ellie about your dad?"

"Yeah."

"How did it go?" she asked.

"Better than expected, but I have no idea what I'm in store for when Ellie gets home." Chuck looked at his watch again. "Which should be in about 1 hour and 55 minutes."

"Sounds like maybe you could use some air. How about a walk? We could hit up the beach or the pier."

"Sure, that sounds good. Just let me change first."

Sarah nodded and Chuck darted off to his room to change. He emerged minutes later wearing a pair of jeans, a form fitting long sleeve shirt and his converse sneakers.

"All set." He announced making his way into the living room. Sarah responded with a smile.

Chuck reached for her hand and the two made their way out the door.

* * *

><p>Chuck and Sarah had opted for the walk on the beach. It was surprisingly quiet for this time of day, but then again it wasn't exactly beach weather.<p>

The two of them walked bare foot in the sand, their fingers intertwined with one another as they took in the surf.

"So this is nice. I'm glad you suggested it." Chuck said breaking the silence between them.

Sarah gave his hand a squeeze and leaned into him.

"How was your first day back?" she asked.

"Long." He replied. "I don't think before today I ever realized just how much I dislike working at the Buy More. The only think that got me through the day was the thought of seeing you afterwards."

"You don't have to work there Chuck. You could do anything you want to."

Chuck stopped in his tracks. He turned to face her taking her free hand into his free hand. "You sound awfully sure of that." He said.

"Because I am Chuck. I wish you believed in yourself as much as everyone else does."

Chuck's gaze fell to the ground as he took in her words.

"What?" she asked giving him a nudge.

"Nothing, it's just…You have a lot of faith in me Sarah, I just hope I can deliver."

"You already have Chuck." She said stepping in closer to him.

She leaned up and pressed her lips softly against his. His arms circled her waist. When she pulled her lips from his, she nuzzled his neck as she leaned in to him pressing her body contently against his.

"Mmm, what was that for?" he questioned.

She looked up and met his eyes with hers. "I didn't think I needed a reason to kiss you anymore?"

Chuck smiled in response. "You don't. Feel free to kiss me anytime you want."

"Anytime?" she asked with a mischievous grin as her gaze shifted to his lips.

"Mmm Hmm." He replied shifting his own focus to her lips. The two of them leaned in slowly until their lips finally came in contact with one another. The kiss was soft and sensual and sent shivers up both their spines.

"I love you Sarah." He rested his forehead against hers. Sarah clasped her arms around his neck and toyed with a few stray curls.

"Sarah, this isn't moving too fast for you is it? I don't want to freak you out or anything. I just…I don't want to mess this up."

Before Chuck could get another word out, Sarah had captured his lips once again. She kissed him slowly and passionately. It didn't take Chuck long to respond to her. His hands moved from her waist up her back, caressing her gently.

"Does that answer your question Chuck?" she asked with a smile.

His hand moved to her cheek and he caressed her silky smooth skin. "Come to dinner tonight?"

Sarah pulled away from him, she turned and the two of them proceeded down the beach.

"Chuck I can't. Besides it's a family thing."

He reached for her hand as he walked alongside her. "Sure you can. Devon will be there too. Ellie won't mind. I could really use your support tonight."

Sarah came to a halt. She turned to face him once again. "No Chuck, I really can't."

He looked at her with confusion.

"That's why I wanted to take a walk. I wanted to tell you." She continued.

"Tell me what?" he asked.

"Director Johnson called me earlier."

"Okay…What did he want?"

"I have to go to D.C."

"What? Why?"

"Apparently there is some paperwork I need to complete before my reinstatement can go into effect. And while I'm there he wants me to take a couple refresher courses in domestic allegiance and proper mission protocol."

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"Unfortunately." She replied.

Chuck snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her into him. "When do you have to leave?"

Sarah looked at her watch. "In about an hour and half. There's a private CIA jet waiting at the airport for me even as we speak."

Chuck sighed. The look of disappointment more than evident on his face. "How long will you be gone?"

"I'm not sure yet. Could be a couple days, maybe a week. Johnson said I would be back to help start your training next week."

"A whole week?" he said with a pout.

Sarah smiled. "What's that saying? Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Chuck forced a smile.

"Come on. I still have to go pack." She broke their embrace and reached for his hand.

"At least let me take you to the airport." He said as they continued their walk on the beach as they headed in the direction of Sarah's car.

"Oh no. You have a dinner to get ready for. That is far more important."

"Sarah, nothing is more important to me than you."

* * *

><p>After Sarah had dropped Chuck back off at his apartment and the two said their goodbyes, Chuck went inside to finish preparing for the dinner with his father. He had placed an order with one of Ellie's favorite restaurants who he knew delivered. He already had the table all set when Ellie and Devon arrived home from work.<p>

"Wow Chuck, the place looks great." Ellie said looking around the apartment.

"Thanks." He averted her eyes. He knew she was still upset with him for springing all of this on her.

"Is Sarah joining us tonight?" Ellie asked.

Chuck sighed. "No, she actually had to go out of town for a few days."

"Oh. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. She just had some business to take care of out of town. She'll be back by next week."

"Oh…well as long as everything is okay." Ellie didn't want to push it with him when it came to Sarah, given everything the two of them had recently been through."

"So, what's for dinner Chuck?" Devon chimed in changing the subject.

"Oh, I uh…I ordered from Giovanni's. I know how much Ellie enjoys their food." Chuck turned his attention to Ellie and offered her an apologetic smile.

She smiled in return. She knew he was trying his best to make things right between them and the more she thought about it, she really had no reason to be upset with Chuck. She was forgetting who she was really upset with here.

Ellie was just about to say something when she was interrupted by the doorbell.

"Speaking of food." Chuck said. "That must be it."

Ellie grabbed her wallet and moved to the door. "I got it Chuck."

Ellie swung the door open expecting to find the delivering boy instead she came face to face with the man who had abandoned her.

She swallowed hard and her breath caught in her throat. "Dad."

"Hello Ellenore."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Alright so not much going on in this chapter, it was more of a filler, but there were some sweet Charah moments and we are all set up for the reunion between Ellie and her dad. Hope you enjoyed it. I would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for reading.<strong>_


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Well here it is chapter 22. As always I want to thank you all for sticking with me and my story your feedback is greatly appreciated. It has been a bit harder to write lately, but I am determined to finish this one, so I hope everyone is still out there. The finale may have aired but it's not the end for Chuck. Keep the stories coming people. I have a couple of stories on the horizon, but it's important to me that I finish this one before I start posting anything new, I appreciate your patience. **

**Disclaimer: Clearly I do not own Chuck, because if I did there would be a new episode this week.**

**Chapter 22**

Ellie stood in the doorway frozen, unable to move, unable to speak as she stared into the eyes of her father. It wasn't quite the welcome Stephen Bartowski had expected but nothing about his life ever was.

Chuck came up behind his sister and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Ellie, you okay?" he asked with concern. His gesture caused Ellie to snap out of her trance.

"Yeah…Yeah. I'm fine." She finally replied.

Chuck turned his attention to his father. "Ori..Dad." he greeted him.

"Charles." He said with a smile.

"Come on in." Chuck said stepping aside and guiding Ellie along with him.

Stephen entered the apartment and closed the door behind him. He looked around his surroundings, taking everything in.

"This is a nice place you have here. You two have done well for yourselves." He said turning to face his daughter once again. He could see the tears well in her eyes as she continued to stare at him.

"No thanks to you." The words just came out, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. She regretted them almost immediately. She had never spoken to her father in such a manner before, but then again, she wasn't the little girl he left all those years ago.

"Ellie." He moved closer to her to try to console her, but she took a step back as he approached.

"I know you're mad at me, and you have every right to be. The way I left you kids. There's so much you two don't know. So much your mother and I tried to protect you from. I want to tell you, I want you to know the truth…You deserve to know the truth."

Ellie's features softened as she allowed some of the tension to leave her body. "I want to know." She said finding her voice again. This time her demeanor was much quieter and childlike as she felt like that little girl years ago as she looked to her father for answers.

"Why don't we sit down?" Chuck suggested and the three of them made their way to the couch.

Devon hung back near the kitchen and allowed the three of them to talk without him hovering.

Stephen looked to his daughter, then to Chuck. It was hard to believe his children were full grown adults. They had both turned into these incredible human beings, and they did it without him. His focus shifted to Ellie once again, who was trying hard to hold back the tears.

"Ellie, you have grown into such a beautiful woman. I can't believe you're the same little girl I used to bounce on my knee." Stephen felt himself getting a little choked up and Ellie couldn't hold back the tears any longer. He slid closer to her on the couch and placed his hand on hers and she didn't pull away.

"I'm so sorry sweetheart." He said.

Ellie met his eyes with hers and she could see the truth in them. The flood gates opened and she fell into the arms of her father. He embraced her and a sense of familiarity and warmth came over them. She allowed him to console her despite her reservations.

"I'm still mad at you." She managed to choke out through the tears.

"I know Ellie…I know." Stephen said as he held his daughter in his arms.

* * *

><p>Chuck and Ellie listened intently to their father as he explained his absence from their lives all these years. Why he left, why he had no choice.<p>

"Wait a minute." Ellie stopped him. "Are you telling us that you are a spy?" Ellie asked.

Stephen just nodded. "I can't tell you the details of my work, but yes. I worked for the CIA for years. Back when you two were just children. Your mother and I were amazing together. A real dynamic duo."

"Wait! Mom was a spy too?" Ellie interrupted him once more.

Stephen nodded. "The best." He replied with a smile stretching ear to ear.

Chuck remained silent for most of his father's story. He couldn't help but see the resemblance when it came to him and Sarah. His father was more of the technical, analytical type, much like himself. While his mother was apparently some kick ass spy out in the field, much like a certain blonde he knew.

"The truth is all those years ago, when your mother left…well it wasn't her choice. She was working deep under cover. She got caught up in something bad and…well, she was captured. By the time I was aware of what had happened her captors were gone and so was she. It wasn't for some years later that I finally got a solid enough lead to go after her."

Chuck was feeling an array of emotions as he listened to his father's story. It was exciting and devastating all at once. His father painted this elaborate picture for them, of two spies hopelessly in love with one another, who had made the ultimate sacrifice to protect their children, and the more Chuck had thought about it, the more he became upset. Not upset with his father, but more so with himself, for the verbal attack he had launched on the man yesterday without giving him the opportunity to really explain.

"Oh my God!" Ellie exclaimed. "Is she still missing? We have to help her."

"Relax Ellie, she's fine. When I left you two it was to go in search for her. It was incredibly dangerous and honestly we were lucky to make it out alive. Once I retrieved her from enemy hands we came to the realization that our only real option was to go into hiding. These people were after us. They wanted my research, my life's work and more importantly my invention."

"Your invention?" She questioned.

"I can't go into specifics with you. It's too dangerous. The less you know the better."

"But you…you know where mom is?" Ellie asked.

Stephen nodded his head. "I do. We have a small cabin hidden away in an undisclosed location."

"Wait!...She lives with you? All this time, she was with you?"

Steven nodded again.

Ellie jumped up from the couch and began pacing the floor.

"Ellie, I realize how upsetting this must all be for you, but you have to understand…We never wanted to hurt you or you Chuck." He said shifting his attention to his son. "These people who were after us…They're cold blooded killers who would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. They wouldn't think twice about harming a child. They would have used you as collateral and then killed you. We couldn't let that happen. We wouldn't. The only way to ensure your safety was to distance ourselves. We had no choice but to leave."

Stephen turned back to face his daughter. "You were always wise beyond your years. As much as it pained your mother and I to leave, we knew you'd be okay. We knew you'd take care of your brother and we knew you would be successful." Stephen began to get choked up again. "We were so proud of you when you graduated from Medical school and with honors no less."

"How do you know about that?"

"Come on Eleanor. Don't you know?… Just because you can't see something, or in this case someone, that doesn't mean they aren't there."

Ellie wiped at the tears that were making their way down her cheeks. "You were there?" she asked.

He nodded again. "We both were."

Stephen turned his attention back to his son. "And you Charles, getting into Stanford. We've never been so proud."

His praise caught Chuck by surprise.

"Well then you would be disappointed to know that didn't exactly turn out so great." Chuck replied dryly.

"Don't sell yourself short Charles; you had no control over what happened there."

"Dad's right Chuck. You had no control over what Bryce did to you." Ellie reiterated their father's words.

"Charles, you are so smart and incredibly gifted… You're special son…Don't ever forget that."

There was a familiarity to his father's words that offered a certain solace that he hadn't felt since he was a child. His gaze fell to the floor for fear of revealing too much of what he was feeling. He wasn't even sure what it was exactly that he was feeling himself. Truth was he had really missed his father over the years. He thought he had come to terms with the abandonment he felt by his parents, but it became very clear to him that he hadn't.

* * *

><p>They spent the next few hours enjoying the delicious dinner that Chuck had ordered for them and catching up on what was happening in their lives.<p>

Ellie was ecstatic when she was able to introduce Devon to her father and vice versa. She told him of their engagement and went on to tell him all about her work and things he had missed out on over the years. Chuck wasn't as eager to share as Ellie was, mostly out of fear or slipping up and spilling his secret about the intersect to his sister, but he did manage to come up with a few stories he was able to share with the family.

The evening turned out to be much more than either Chuck, Ellie or even Stephen had anticipated. It was really a new beginning for the Bartowskis.

Before bidding his children goodnight and heading out of town, he made sure they had the number for his secure line which they could contact him on. He promised that he would be in contact with them as well and as soon as he knew everyone was safe, they would set up another meeting this time with their mother too.

The thought of seeing their mother again offered a lot of mixed emotions for both Chuck and Ellie, but knowing the circumstances behind her leaving made a difference. The excitement over seeing their mother again, far outweighed any ill feelings either of them may have been harboring.

"Chuck. I know I kind of gave you a lot of grief over this whole dinner thing, but I need to thank you." Ellie said as they brought their empty dishes to the sink. "This night has been…amazing, and it's all because of you."

Chuck smiled. "It was a pretty good night wasn't it?"

"Yeah." Ellie replied as Devon game up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned into his chest and he placed a kiss on top of her head.

Their conversation was interrupted by Chuck's ringing cell phone. He retrieved it from his pocket. A smile spread across his face when he saw Sarah's face on the screen.

"It's Sarah." He announced. "Do you mind?" he asked.

"No, talk to her. We can finish picking up." Ellie replied.

"Thanks." Chuck said leaning in and kissing Ellie on the cheek.

"Hey." He said bringing the phone to his ear as he headed towards his bedroom for some privacy.

"How was your flight?" Chuck asked as he closed his bedroom door and flopped down on his bed.

"It was fine." She replied with a yawn, taking a seat on the bed in her hotel that the CIA was putting her up in for the duration of her trip. "How did everything go with your dad and with Ellie?" She asked.

Chuck propped a pillow up underneath him as he laid across the bed on his stomach. A smiled came to his face. "Surprisingly well." He replied.

"Really?" She asked somewhat surprised.

"Yeah. Turns out this dinner was a really good idea. There's only one thing that could have possibly made it any better."

"What's that?" she asked.

"If you were here too."

She smiled. "I wish I could have been there with you. I'm really glad everything worked out okay."

"Me too."

A moment of silence passed between them. He missed her so much and she had only been gone a few hours, what was wrong with him. He was sure he would end up scaring her off if things moved too fast for them. He had to play it cool.

"What's going on with Johnson?" he asked finally breaking the silence between them.

"He called me on the plane. I'm scheduled to meet with him in the morning. From what I gathered I'll be here at least a few days. He sent me my itinerary and has me in meetings and trainings basically from sun up till early evening, so I should be pretty busy."

"Well that…sucks."

Sarah laughed and he smiled at the sound that radiated from the other end of the phone. He loved her laugh.

"Yeah, well, at least it will keep me busy. Keep my mind off other things."

"Other things? Like what?" he asked.

Sarah sighed heavily as she leaned back against her pillows. "Like you." She admitted shyly.

This only made the smile on his face grow. "Oh yeah? So you miss me?" he teased.

Sarah grinned. "Yes. I know it's only been a few hours, but…I miss you Chuck."

"I miss you too Sarah. I'm going to miss not sleeping next to you tonight. I've kind of become accustomed to it."

"I know."

"So, I've been thinking."

"Oh no. Dare I ask?" it was her turn to tease him.

"Funny. Seriously though, it has occurred to me that we still have not gone on a real date."

"Chuck what are you talking about? Are you forgetting the fabulous dinner you made for me…the desert…the dancing?"

"Of course not. It's just…well I want to take you out on the town, wine and dine you… maybe show you off a little."

"Show me off?"

"Well yeah, it's not every day a guy like me lands a girl like you." Chuck rolled over onto his back and stared up at the ceiling.

"So what you're saying is that you want to use me as arm candy?"

"What? No!" Chuck bolted upright on the bed. "That's not what I meant, I just…well you know me, I'm just a big nerd and you…well, you're gorgeous…completely out of my league…I just…I never meant…"

"Chuck."

"I would never want you to think that that's how I see you…I just meant…"

"Chuck!" She spoke louder and firmer this time, finally catching his attention.

"Yeah?"

"You know, you're kind of adorable when you ramble like that." She said.

The smile returned to his face.

"I'm sorry if what I said came off as…well…if I came off as a jerk."

"You didn't…you couldn't." Her voice softened.

"Everything okay? You sound kind of down."

"Yeah, I just…"

"You just what?" he asked with concern.

Sarah blushed. "Nothing it's stupid."

"No, it's not. Tell me." He pleaded.

Sarah sighed heavily. "It's just I didn't think it would feel like this."

"What?"

"Being away from you. I mean I know I just saw earlier, it's just…well, knowing that I won't see you tomorrow, or the day after and maybe not even the day after that. I just…I didn't think it would be so hard…That I could miss you so much already."

"Baby I miss you too." Chuck laughed. "Actually I'm kind of relieved you said something because I thought I was the only one feeling like this. I didn't want to say anything and scare you off."

"Really? You're not just saying this to try to make me feel better?"

"Of course not. Sarah I love you."

She smiled at his reassuring words. "I love you too Chuck."

The two of them chatted for the next half hour. Chuck filled her in more on his dinner with his father and then discussed some of his ideas with her for their date once she returned to town.

"I should probably get going, get some sleep. It's pretty late here." Sarah said.

Chuck looked at his watch It was almost 10:00 which meant it was nearly 1:00 AM in D.C.

"Yeah, you better get some sleep since you have to be up early. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Why don't I just call you tomorrow night, I have no idea what time it will be when I get done with whatever Johnson has planned for me."

"Alright. You better get some sleep."

"Yeah I know."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay." She replied softly.

"Good night."

"Good night Chuck." She said just before the two of them disconnected.

Chuck tossed the phone down on his bed and laid there for a moment taking in everything that had happened to him over the past few months. How it all had somehow led to this. He knew he would do it all over again if this is where it would get him. He was hopelessly in love with the girl of his dreams and the icing on the cake was that she loved him too.

* * *

><p><em><strong>The next morning…<strong>_

"Agent Walker, the Director will see you now." The receptionist announced.

Sarah stood up. She was dressed in her professional, CIA business attire. The receptionist escorted her to the Director's office. He was situated behind his desk, his face buried in paperwork when she entered.

"Have a seat Walker." He announced without even looking up.

Sarah sat down across the desk from him and waited for him to address her. The 30 seconds it took him to finish what he was reading felt like an eternity for her. Finally he looked up to acknowledge her.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Agent Walker. Just trying to get caught up with all this additional paperwork since the promotion." He apologized.

"Of Course, you're a busy man." She replied.

Johnson pulled a rather large packet of official forms from the top drawer of his desk. "Shall we get started?"

Johnson explained to her that the numerous forms requiring her signature her essential for her reinstatement. He went on to tell her that had it not been for General Beckman, Major Casey and Special Agent Bartowski, vouching for her and giving her glowing recommendations, the agency was prepared to let her go.

"You know Agent Walker; your reputation with the agency can't be disputed. What you've done during your time with us is nothing short of remarkable. I have no reason to believe that your continued service to this country is of great value, particularly when it comes to the intersect project."

His last few words piqued her interest.

"What do you mean Director?" she asked.

"Sarah...Agent Bartowski, well… he's special. I've been going over all these past mission files. Bartowski is not your typical spy, I'm sure you would agree with me on that."

"No, he's not." She replied wearily.

"Sarah, Chuck is special and he is no doubt going to continue to be of great importance for the agency. Beckman is convinced that he can be trained. That he can be turned into the spy we need him to be. I'm not so sure I share those beliefs."

"He's a quick study Director."

"Yes, well…there's more to being a spy than learning the lay of the land, so to speak Agent Walker. Yes, Bartowski is extremely intelligent, there is no doubt about that, but he's soft. He's not like Major Casey; he's not like you or me. Do you honestly think that when it comes right down to it, that he will be able to take another's life? That he'll be able to lie and cheat and steal, to do whatever it takes to complete his mission?"

Sarah contemplated what Johnson was saying and she couldn't argue with him and to be honest, she didn't want to. She didn't want Chuck to turn into the hardened spy she had become over the years. She didn't want him to lie and cheat and steal and she most certainly didn't want him to take another's life. She'd never forget what it was like the first time she had killed someone. A memory that still haunted her to this day. She was just doing what she had been ordered to do, but ending someone's life, it just never seemed right and once you pull that trigger a part of you dies inside. She didn't want that for him. She wouldn't wish that on anyone.

"Agent Walker?" Johnson interrupted her thoughts. "Agent Walker?" he repeated when she didn't answer.

"He can't." The words came without hesitation.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

And before she realized what she had said, it was too late. "Director…That's not who he is." She tried to explain. "Chuck…he won't kill someone. He doesn't have it in him. Even if he did…he just…wouldn't."

"You seem very sure of that."

"I am." Again, no hesitation.

"If that's the case, then how will this work? How will we turn him into the spy he needs to be?"

"To be honest Director, I would love nothing more than for Chuck, Beckman and everyone else to just give up this whole idea of Chuck becoming a spy…But, honestly, the more I think about it, I've come to realize just how selfish that would be."

"I'm sorry, I don't follow."

"Director, Chuck Bartowski is not cold and calculating. He's not a hardened spy like Casey or like me. Look how much he has done for this country already and he's not even a spy yet. He won't be a stone cold killer, but he will be an incredible spy. You know why? Because he cares. He has feelings and he truly cares about the greater good. As much as I want him to give up this whole idea, keep him safe and out of harm's way, I would be doing everyone a disservice by holding him back. Chuck has the potential to be great. And he will be…in his own way, not in the CIA's."

"You have a lot of confidence in him agent Walker. One has to wonder what exactly your relationship is with Agent Bartowski."

"My relationship with Agent Bartowski is strictly professional. He was my asset and is now a colleague. As for my relationship with Chuck…well, with all due respect Director, that's private."

Director Johnson smiled. "I see. And you think that you and the rest of your team will be able to transform Agent Bartowski into this super spy? You think that your team will be more successful in training him than sending him off to a special training facility?"

"I do."

Johnson nodded his head. "Very well then Agent Walker. I will take your word for it. We will go ahead and proceed with the scheduled training. It will commence once you return to Burbank."

Sarah gave him a nod of acknowledgement.

"Well, now that we have that settled." Johnson held up the stack of papers. "Let's get down to business."

* * *

><p><em><strong>I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, I managed to throw in some Charah fluffiness. I needed it myself after the finale. I look forward to your reviews. Also on a side note for anyone who is interested I have been getting into twitter lately. If anyone wants to follow me, you can find me at ChuckLover4Ever.<strong>_


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Surprise, surprise, a new update in less than two weeks. Anyway, it's a little shorter than usual but there is some movement and revelations in this chapter so I hope you enjoy it. As always thank you to all of you who continually leave me feedback and PM's. Your reviews mean a lot. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 23**

"Agent Walker, I have to say I have been more than impressed with you this week. I realize that these refresher courses probably were not necessary, but I have to follow protocol here."

"I understand Director." Sarah replied.

"That said, your business here is winding down, we can have you back in Los Angeles sometime tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes, is that a problem?" He asked looking up at her from across his desk.

"Director, Chuck's training is supposed to commence tomorrow. I thought I would be there to get him started. I was hoping to be back tonight, this trip has already been extended longer than I thought it would be."

Johnson sighed. "Very well Agent Walker, because things have gone so well this week, I will see what I can do to get you back sooner. Now before I dismiss you, there is something I'd like to talk to you about."

He handed her the confidential file. Sarah opened it to see a photo of their new team member Sabrina Andrews.

"What is this Director? What's with this new partner anyway?"

"Agent Andrews can be a great asset to your team Sarah. She has a lot of potential here but has yet to be able to show that. The right team, the right mentors and there's no telling what she's capable of. She reminds me a lot of you actually."

"Me?" Sarah questioned.

"I've done my research Agent Walker. I've read your file. Like you, Sabrina came to us very young. She was just about to finish college when the agency snatched her up. This girl gave up everything for the CIA. She had the opportunity to be quite successful after graduation. Was in a relationship, had a wonderful family. She gave it all up. She joined with her fiancé and once they finished their time at the farm he left her for another recruit. I was her handler for nearly three years."

Sarah was surprised to hear all of this. She glanced down at the photo in her hand. She knew she had seen her somewhere before but she couldn't for the life of her remember. She began reading her bio. She was originally from Portland, Oregon. Real name, Caroline Reynolds. And suddenly it dawned on her. She knew exactly who this girl was.

"Sarah, I want you to take her under your wing. Show her the ropes so to speak. She doesn't have a lot of experience in the field and I can't think of anyone better to mentor her."

* * *

><p>Chuck tossed his game controller down in frustration.<p>

"Easy there buddy. What's with you tonight anyway?" Morgan asked.

Chuck sighed heavily. He ran a hand through his unkempt hair as he slouched back on the couch. "Nothing."

"Chuck, are you forgetting who you're talking to here? It's me, Morgan Grimes, your best friend since…well forever. I know when something is bothering you."

Chuck didn't respond.

"Look man It's just a game. You've never gotten so upset before about a game."

"Morgan it's not the game. I don't care about a stupid game."

"Whoa! Let's not get carried away here. This is the hottest game out there right now. I mean…wait a minute….is this…is this about Sarah?"

Chuck responded with a glare.

"Okay, so it is. Look man, she's coming back soon."

Chuck continued to glare at his friend. "I know that Morgan, but she should have been home two days ago."

"Why did she have to go to D.C again?" Morgan asked.

"Oh, well something about her new job, some kind of orientation thing."

"Hmmm. Speaking of which, did you see they took out the Weinerlicious? Put in some kind of yogurt shop or something."

Chuck gave Morgan another glare.

"Well cheer up buddy. Hey I know what will make you feel better. How about we go old school? A10 round marathon of Duck Hunt. Winner takes all."

"No, it's getting late, I think I'm just going to call it a night."

"You sure?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah, I'm kind of beat anyway."

"Alright man. I have an early shift tomorrow so it's probably for the best." Morgan stood up and grabbed his coat.

"Peddle safe." Chuck said as Morgan made his way out the door.

Chuck quickly picked up the mess he and Morgan had made in the living room, he locked the front door and turned down the lights before heading for his bedroom. Chuck had a big day tomorrow. He was to begin his spy training in the revamped secret base with Sarah and Casey. Of course that is if Sarah was back in time. Otherwise he would be spending the whole day under Casey's hand and he wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that.

Chuck stripped down to his boxers. He grabbed a clean, plain white t-shirt from his drawer and put it one before climbing into bed. He checked his cell phone one last time. No missed calls, no text messages. He placed it on his night stand where he could grab it quickly if it were to ring. He had spoken to Sarah early that morning and she had no idea what Johnson's plans were for her until she met with him later in the day and Chuck had yet to hear back from her. He prayed that she would be coming home sometime tomorrow, because he missed her more than anything.

Chuck turned off his bedside lamp and settled under the covers. He closed his eyes and it didn't take long for thoughts of her to enter his mind as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>It was just after midnight when she landed at LAX. She was hoping to get there sooner, she wanted to surprise him. She doubted he would still be up, but it was worth a try she thought. She wanted nothing more than to see him tonight, being that it had been nearly a week since she had seen him last.<p>

When she arrived at his apartment complex in Echo Park, she wasn't surprised to see the lights off, in fact she had expected it.

"Damn." She said as she stood there by the fountain. She wasn't about to wake his entire family up in the middle off the night, so she turned to leave. Sarah didn't get very far before she stopped dead in her tracks. She smiled as the idea entered her mind. She turned and made her way towards the apartment, more specifically towards Chuck's window, also known as the Morgan door.

She peered inside. It was dark, but she could make out his form lying in the bed. She smiled. She had missed him so much, just being able to see him, even if he was sleeping made her happy.

Sarah tried the window. She wasn't surprised when it opened with ease. She pushed it up far enough for her to be able climb through. Once she was inside she closed it and turned to face him. He looked so peaceful sleeping there, she didn't want to wake him, but she needed to be near him.

Sarah shed herself of her jacket and removed her black leather boots. She climbed into bed next to him and snuggled into him, resting her head on his chest and draping her arm across his stomach. She felt a sense of ease that she hadn't felt in a week now.

"Mmm." He moaned lightly as she settled into him. Instinctively his arm came up around her and he pulled her closer to him. Sarah allowed her exhaustion to finally take over and closed her eyes. Sleep came almost instantly.

* * *

><p>Five hours later, Chuck found himself awoken by an incredible dream. His eyes fluttered open and a smile appeared on his face as he recalled the dream. He looked to the clock next to his bed. It was only 5:30 in the morning. He yawned heavily, it was way too early to be up, but he couldn't keep the smile off his face, not after that dream.<p>

Still somewhat groggy, Chuck tried to move to roll onto his side. He was surprised to discover something weighing him down. He shifted his attention to the woman laying in his arms. She moaned lightly from being jostled.

Chuck's eyes shot open. He was now wide awake. "Sarah?"

He pulled back to get a better look at her. She rolled off of him onto her back and she opened her eyes with a yawn.

"Sarah?" he asked with a smile.

"Chuck." She responded with a smile.

"Is this real?" Chuck tried to rub the sleep from his eyes. "You're really here?"

Sarah smiled as she propped herself up on her elbow. "I'm here."

"But…how?...I…"

"I got in late, I wanted to see you. But when I got here everyone was in bed, I didn't want to wake them, so I came in through your window. I hope that's okay."

"What?...Of course it is…I just…I wish you woke me up…My God….come here." He held his arms out for her and she fell back into his embrace. "You're really here…God I've missed you so much."

"I missed you too…More than I thought I could."

His hand moved to her cheek and he caressed it softly as he leaned in to kiss her. He kissed her tenderly and passionately leaving them both wanting more.

Pulling away he gazed lovingly into her eyes. "God that's good." He said with a smile. "You have no idea how much I missed being able to do that."

Sarah's arms circled around his neck. She stroked the back of his neck with her fingers, which she had come to learn drove him completely wild.

"Mmm…so how was your trip?" he asked trying to his hardest to focus.

Sarah leaned in close to his ear, her warm breath trickled down his neck as she spoke.

"Chuck."

"Hmmm?"

"You talk so much. Can't you just kiss me?"

Chuck didn't waste a moment meeting her request. He quickly captured her mouth in a heated lip lock. Sarah's fingers roamed through his hair as he pressed her back down on the mattress. He rested his hand on her thigh, caressing it through the material of her pants.

"Mmmm…why are sleeping in so many clothes?" he asked.

Sarah chuckled. "I was tired…Now take them off me." She said with a mischeivious grin.

Chuck returned the smile and sought out her lips once again, while his hands worked their magic.

* * *

><p>Chuck and Sarah had spent the wee hours of the morning reuniting with one another. As much as Sarah didn't want to, she had to leave around 8 so that she couldgo get ready for work. She started her new cover job today and then Chuck was due to arrive for his training to begin around noon.<p>

Chuck, as impatient as he is, arrived for his training around 11:30, in hopes of maybe having a quick lunch with Sarah prior to getting started. He had to do a double take when he walked into what was once the Weinerlicious. Like their headquarters, it too had undergone some major renovations. He smiled when he saw Sarah behind the counter slicing strawberries.

"Ah hum." He cleared his throat as he made his way up to the counter. She looked up with a smile.

Sarah set down her knife and wiped her hands with a towel. "Welcome to the Orange Orange, what can I get you?" she asked as she approached him.

Chuck snickered as he looked around the new establishment. "Can I be completely honest with you?" he asked.

She gave him a questioning look.

"I miss the Weinerlicious."

"My clothes smelled like sausage."

"Nostalgia completely gone." He replied with a smile as he leaned across the counter and greeted her with a kiss.

"Mmm…We can't do this here Chuck." She replied pulling away from him.

"What? Come on, there's not even any customers in here."

Sarah pointed to the surviellance cameras in the corner.

"Right." Chuck sighed pulling away.

Sarah looked at her watch. "You're pretty early. Are you that anxious to get started?"

"I just thought that maybe we could grab some lunch before I had to."

"Well I hope you like frozen yogurt." She replied.

Sarah fixed Chuck a cup of frozen yogurt and the two of them took a seat while they waited for 12:00 to come. Sarah was able to tell Chuck about her time in D.C and her meetings with Director Johnson.

"So what's your take on this guy anyway? You think he's on the up and up?" Chuck asked.

"I do." She replied.

She went on to tell him about their new partner Sabrina and what she had found out.

"Oh my God, I can't believe I didn't make the connection sooner. I mean they had pictures of her all over their home."

"Chuck you weren't exactly in the best frame of mind at that point."

"That's true. Wow, I can't believe this…I mean I feel so bad for her parents. All this time they thought she was dead."

"I know. That's one of the sacrifices spies make Chuck. Are you sure this is what you want?" she asked him.

"Sarah, we've talked about this."

"I know. But I have to make sure you're sure, that you know what you're getting into before it's too late. I won't hold you back Chuck, but I want you to have the knowledge I never had. I didn't have anyone to look out for me when they recruited me. I wish I had."

Chuck reached across the table and took her hand into his. "I know you worry about me Sarah, and I love that you do. This is the first time in my life where I've felt important. Like I could make a difference. I could help so many people, I could do some real good for this country."

"I can't talk you out of this can I?"

"Is that what you want? To talk me out of this?"

"I want you safe."

"I'm always safe. I have you and Casey." He joked.

Sarah was not amused.

"But you won't always Chuck. Once you're a real spy…."

He gave her hand a squeeze. "Once, I'm a real spy, I'll be trained and I'll be able to protect myself…I need you to support me in this."

"I will. I'll always support you in whatever you do. Just promise me, you'll be careful, that you won't take any unnecessary risks."

With their fingers intertwined, he brought her hand to his lips and placed a kiss on it. "Baby I promise."

Their intimate moment was interrupted when Chuck noticed Casey emerging from behind the counter of the yogurt shop, carrying his black duffel bag.

"Bartowski, you ready to get started or what?"

Chuck looked at him with confusion. "What exactly is back there anyway?"

"Just what it says." Casey replied pointing out the slogan printed across the counter. "Yogurt and fun."

Chuck and Sarah stood up from their seats.

"Let's go Bartowski." Casey said.

Chuck turned to Sarah and gave her a wink as he followed Casey through the Orange Orange into the back room. Casey led him through the freezer where he punched in a code on the hidden access panel. He then looked into the monitor and waited for his retina scan to register, after which the big steel door opened. Casey stepped inside, Chuck followed closely. Standing at the top of the staircase, Casey took in his surrounds, a smile formed on his face.

"Welcome to Castle."

Chuck's eyes just about popped out of his head as he took in the high tech, secret base. There were computers and other fancy equipment, monitors and weapons in abundance throughout the room. Casey was like a kid in a candy store.

"Let's get to work Bartowski." He said. Chuck swallowed the lump that had formed in the back of his throat. What the hell did he get himself into?

* * *

><p><em><strong>Alright, so as promised, Chuck and Sarah were not apart for long. You kind of got a glimpse into Johnson's ulterior motive for having Sarah come to D.C and now we know a little bit more about our new addition Sabrina. Also, enter the Orange Orange and Castle. Hope you enjoyed, I look forward to any reviews you want to send my way. Thanks for reading.<strong>_


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: I don't really have too much to say about this chapter, it pretty much speaks for itself. Hope you enjoy it. Also I should mention that in a review for the last chapter**, **Alivers, referred to the Orange Orange as the Double O, which I found to be quite humorous and I actually used that reference in this chapter, so thank you Alivers. I guess I should probably apologize for the delay in the update. I didn't get to write last weekend because I got caught up in a wonderful little Chuck fic, by quistie64 called "Chuck vs. The Sound of Music." Most of you have probably already read this so you can understand why I had to finish it and put off my own writing to do so. And for anyone who hasn't read it, go read it now, because you are missing out.**

_**Disclaimer: Clearly I do not own Chuck, so don't sue me.**_

**Chapter 24**

Sarah wiped down the counter for the third time in the last hour. Her new cover job was turning out to be a big bore that was for sure. Or maybe it was the thought of Chuck and Casey training so close by without her there to oversee it that was getting to her. She would occasionally check in on them on her monitors. Every time she did, Casey seemed to be working him out pretty hard. The last time she checked in, Casey had him hitting the heavy bag.

Sarah was shaken from her thoughts when the door to the yogurt shop opened. She looked up to see Agent Andrews enter.

Sabrina smiled as she made her way over to Sarah. Looking around she made sure the establishment was empty before she spoke.

"Agent Walker." She greeted her.

"Agent Andrews." Sarah exchanged the greeting, tossing her towel down on the counter.

"So this is what they have you doing for your cover?" Sabrina asked, checking out their surroundings some more.

"Yeah well, as boring as it is, it's better than my last cover job. And on the bright side, I haven't burned anything yet, so it's been a nice change for the customers too." Sarah said with a smirk.

Sabrina laughed. "Well, I'm sure you're doing better than I will. This will be my first cover job ever. Director Johnson has me starting at the Buy More tomorrow. Something called a Nerd Herder."

"You're working at the Buy More?... With Chuck?"

"Yeah I guess." Sabrina replied, sensing a hint of disbelief or was it jealousy in Sarah's voice.

"They already have Casey Stationed over there." Sarah replied.

"Oh, well…That's what I was told. Is there a problem with that?" Sabrina asked.

"No, no problem. I just would have thought that they would have placed you somewhere else, split us up a little more since Casey and Chuck are already stationed at the Buy More."

"Should I request something else?" The young agent asked.

"What? No!...No really it's fine. If the Director is placing you there he must have a reason."

"Okay… So how is Chuck's training going? I'm supposed to work with him on some foreign policy stuff this afternoon."

What does she care how Chuck is doing anyway? Sarah thought to herself. She doesn't know anything about Chuck. She wasn't there with him from the beginning, not like she and Casey had been. "Oh. Well, I'm sure he could use a break, Casey's been putting him through the ringer today." She replied

Sarah walked over to the door and flipped the sign to closed and locked up. "Let's go take a look." Sarah said making her way towards the freezer, Sabrina followed closely behind.

* * *

><p>When the two agents entered Castle, they found Casey giving a completely spent Chuck a lesson in weaponry. He had several guns laid out in front of him, going over every single detail of each weapon and then timing Chuck on assembling his piece.<p>

Chuck looked up when he heard the ladies enter. He smiled, it was a welcomed interruption. Sarah gave him a sympathetic look. She could tell Casey was not making things easy for him.

"Hey guys." Sarah said interrupting their session. "Andrews is here to go over some Foreign Policy with Chuck."

Casey grunted his annoyance. He did not like being interrupted, especially when he was in the middle of explaining something important like guns. He turned off his stop watch and began to gather his weapons.

"How is his training coming along Casey?" Sarah asked as she eyed Chuck from across the table.

"Slow." Casey sighed. "When Andrews is through with him, I'm going to work on some combat skills with him."

"Casey I don't think he's ready for that." Sarah spoke up.

Casey gave her a disapproving look.

"He just started working out today." She defended her reaction. "He's never even thrown a punch before."

"Why do you think I'm doing this Walker? For the fun of it?"

"No, I just…If he gets hurt Casey it's going to delay his training."

"Walker, he needs to toughen up. He needs to know how to take a punch just as much as how to throw one. Let me do my job." Casey barked back.

Sarah rolled her eyes, but ultimately backed off.

"Oh, and I spoke with Beckman and Johnson earlier. They gave me the schedule for tomorrow." Casey continued.

The whole team, including Chuck was now all ears.

"Bartowski and I have early shifts at the Buy More tomorrow. You too Andrews. Chuck will be training you in the Nerd Herd. Walker you have a day shift at the double O'. During Lunch we'll to reconvene at Castle. Chuck will have and afternoon "Install" but really will remain here. Beckman has Agent Roan Montgomery coming in to provide Chuck with a crash course in Infiltration and Inducement of Enemy Personnel."

"Infil-what?" Chuck questioned.

Sarah laughed. "At the academy we call it seduction school. Maybe you should sit in on that one Casey, didn't you fail it twice?"

"Like I need a class." He replied smugly. Anyway, as I was saying, after Chuck's session with Montgomery, Walker you're going to be sparring with him."

Sarah smiled. Finally, she would have her chance to work with Chuck tomorrow.

"Walker, Beckman and Johnson said you were dismissed for the day. I'm going to head out to grab something to eat. Bartowski I'll be back around 0'400 to get you started on that combat training."

Casey headed for the stairs and proceeded up them. He turned back around once he reached the top. "Walker you coming?" he asked.

"Yeah. In a minute." She replied.

Casey grunted one last time before heading out the door. Sarah turned her attention back to Chuck. Chuck got the impression that she was waiting to speak to him. He stood from his chair.

"Sabrina, would you mind giving me a minute alone with agent Walker before we get started?"

Sabrina looked up at the two who seemed to be just itching to speak alone.

"Uhh…sure. But we do have a lot of material to cover." She replied.

"It'll be quick. I promise." Chuck replied.

Sabrina smiled and headed towards the other room to give them some privacy.

Once she was out the room Sarah moved in towards him.

"Hey. You okay?" she asked.

Chuck took hold of her hands in his. "I'm fine Sarah. A little beat but I'm fine."

"How did it go with Casey? Was he real rough on you?" she asked with sympathetic eyes.

Chuck smiled. "Will you stop worrying?"

"Never." She replied.

Chuck's smile grew.

"So tell me, how hard was he on you?"

"Sarah, its Casey. He was…well…Casey."

"Don't let him push you too hard later. If it's too much you can speak up, tell him you need a break. Maybe I should just stay and watch."

"Sarah."

She closed her mouth and looked him in the eyes.

"Go." He said. "When I get done here, I'll come pick you up. We can go grab some dinner, okay?"

Sarah sighed heavily. "Fine, I'll go. But I mean it Chuck; don't let him take advantage of you. Casey can take things to the extreme, really push the limits. You're not his punching bag."

"I know." He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "I'll see you later."

"Bye." She said as she reluctantly walked herself up the stairs and out the door.

* * *

><p>"Ughh." Chuck laid his head down on the table in frustration. "How much longer do we have to do this?"<p>

Sabrina sympathized with him; she knew he had been training all day. They had been at this for two hours now and he still had more training with Casey today.

"Alright, we can stop for today. I know it's a lot of information to take in. You're doing great though Chuck. You're a real quick study."

Chuck looked up at his new team member. "Thanks, but there's so much to learn, I feel like I'm never going to remember it all."

"Chuck, you're doing fine, I'm the one who's going to look like the idiot tomorrow when I start at the Buy More."

"You will be fine. Trust me, it's not rocket science. Besides you have a computer background and you know your way around a system; that already puts you ahead of most of the people who work there. It'll be a piece of cake for you."

Sabrina smiled. His confidence in her seemed to put her more at ease. "Can I ask you something Chuck?"

"Sure."

"It's about Agent Walker."

"Sarah? What about her?" Chuck asked.

"Well. I sometimes get the feeling that…well that she doesn't like me very much."

Chuck sat upright in his chair. He ran a hand through his unkempt hair. "She's hard to read sometimes, but she has no reason to not like you. What makes you think she doesn't like you anyway?"

"Well for one thing when we were talking earlier she sure didn't seem very happy about me working at the Buy More with you. In fact, I kind of get the feeling that she doesn't like me being around you at all."

Chuck rubbed at his temples.

"Sarah doesn't like Change Sabrina. I think she's just trying to adjust to the new dynamics of the team and all."

"She's very protective of you. I know she was your handler and all, but it seems like more than that."

Chuck was quiet and tried his best to avert her eyes.

"Wait a minute. Is there…Is there something going on between you two?"

Chuck laughed. "Sabrina…" he started.

"Oh my God! There is. You two are together aren't you?"

Chuck hesitated. He knew he wasn't supposed to be talking about this. He knew Sarah would not be happy either, to know that he had talked to Sabrina about their personal lives.

"Sabrina, I can't talk about this…I…"

"Chuck, all those months you were in the bunker, you never said you had a girlfriend." She continued. "You always talked about your friends and your family. You even mentioned Sarah, but you never…"

"Because I didn't Sabrina. Look this thing with me and Sarah…well it's kind of new. We can't make a big deal about it. Beckman made that clear. I would appreciate it if you didn't bring it up again."

Sabrina gave him another sympathetic look. "I'm sorry Chuck; I didn't mean to put you on the spot. I can see now why Sarah's so protective of you. I'm just…well I'm still a little unsure why she would be so…I don't know…put off by me. I mean…Oh my God…Wait…she's not…She doesn't think that I'm interested in you like that…Does she?"

"I'm not sure what she's thinking Sabrina."

"Because I'm not!" she was quick to respond. "I mean… not that there's anything wrong with you or anything, I just…well…you're not really my type."

"Wow. Way to knock a guy when he's down." Chuck replied.

"Oh…I didn't mean….I just….It's just…You're like my goofball cousin Chuck. I mean you're this incredibly sweet, funny guy. I can totally see why Sarah would be into you, I just…Well…I'm just…not."

Chuck laughed. "Sabrina, it's fine, really. Look this thing between Sarah and I is so new, we're just trying to figure the whole relationship/spy thing out. I think it just kind of threw her for a loop when Beckman threw someone else into the mix."

"You really love her, don't you?"

Chuck nodded.

"Don't get me wrong Chuck. I'm really happy for you two. I…I was in love once."

Chuck felt bad for her. He could sympathize after Sarah had told him the story about how Sabrina's fiancé had left her for another recruit after completing their training. He had suffered a similar loss years back with his ex-girlfriend Jill, who had left him for his old college roommate. The sting of betrayal was always painful.

Their conversation was cut short when Casey entered Castle.

"Well, I guess our time is up here Chuck." She said as she eyed Casey as he made his way across the room. "We'll pick up where we left off next time."

"Great." He replied with a hint of sarcasm.

"Let's go Bartowski!" Casey called to him to join him on the mat in the next room.

Chuck swallowed the lump in his throat. "Wish me luck." He said as he stood from his chair and reluctantly made his way into the other room.

"And now the real fun begins." Casey mumbled under his breath as he took in his approaching prey.

* * *

><p>Despite the fact that she was having a difficult time concentrating on the task at hand, Sarah had managed to finish typing up her report for the day, not that she had much to report on her end. She no sooner hit the send button on her computer when she was interrupted by someone knocking on her door. She glanced down at her watch. It was just after 4:00 so she knew there was no way that it would have been Chuck already.<p>

Sarah stood up and made her way over to the door. Looking through the peephole she was surprised to see agent Andrews standing at her door.

Sarah opened her door. "Andrews?" she greeted her.

"Hi." Sabrina replied. "I was hoping maybe we could talk."

Sarah looked at her with confusion. She couldn't help but wonder what this could possibly be about.

"Sure. Come on in." Sarah said stepping aside.

Once Sabrina was inside, Sarah closed the door behind them. She turned to face Sabrina who seemed to be a tad uneasy.

"Is everything Okay?" Sarah asked.

"Oh. Yeah, everything is fine Agent Walker, I just...I was hoping...I..."

Sarah looked at her even more confused as the nervous girl stumbled over her words.

She exhaled. "Did I do something to upset you?" she finally got the words out.

"What?" Sarah was taken by surprise by her question.

"I just...I get the impression that...well that maybe you don't like me."

Sarah moved past her, her back now facing her. "I'm not sure why you would think that, or why that would matter to you. An agent shouldn't be so concerned with whether or not someone likes them or not." Sarah replied matter of factly.

"Well, you've been kind of short with me, and I have the feeling that maybe it bothers you that Chuck and I are friends and that we're working together."

"Andrews why would that bother me?" Sarah asked turning to face her.

"Well Chuck told me that you guys are kind of a thing and I just thought that..."

"Wait, what?" Sarah interjected.

Sabrina stared at her blankly.

"Chuck talked to you. About us?"

Sabrina had the impression that maybe she had just opened a can of worms that she shouldn't have.

"Well yeah, but..."

"What exactly did he say to you?" Sarah was trying her best to keep her emotions in check.

"Just that it's new and you guys are trying to figure out the whole relationship/ spy aspect of things."

Sarah shook her head in disbelief. She couldn't believe that Chuck would tell this girl these personal things about them. She could feel her anger growing, which apparently didn't go unnoticed by Sabrina.

"Don't be upset with Chuck. It wasn't something he volunteered. I just...I was asking him why you didn't like me and...I mean he was just defending you and well...he was just so worn out from his day today. I mean you remember what the first day of training was like."

Sarah's facial expression softened. She remembered all too well what the first day of her spy training was like. It was excruciating on both the body and the mind.

"I just want you to know Agent Walker that I have no interest in Chuck whatsoever as anything more than a partner and friend. I would never do anything to overstep my bounds with him or anyone on the team for that matter. It's just not who I am." Sabrina said.

Sarah sighed heavily. She could tell she was being sincere with her. "Sarah."

"What?" Sabrina questioned.

"You can call me Sarah. We're part of a team; you don't have to refer to me as Agent Walker."

Sabrina smiled. This was a different side of Sarah Walker that she was finally getting to see.

"Thanks." she replied. "I have to tell you, I do really look up to you. I mean you are just legendary within the agency. I aspire to be half the spy you are one day."

Sarah smiled. "You don't have to do that. We're good really."

"Oh, I'm not trying to suck up to you or anything. I truly feel that way. When they told me I was going to be working with you...God I can't even tell you how excited I was. I mean I'm going to be learning and working alongside the best."

"I've seen your file Sabrina. You're a good spy, don't sell yourself short. A little more experience in the field and you can obtain this legendary status yourself."

"You really think so?" she was beaming with excitement.

"Sure. By the way, I wanted to talk to you a little bit about that. Director Johnson had a rather lengthy meeting with me when I was in D.C. He asked that I mentor you so to speak. He wants us working closely together. I guess he thinks you might pick up a thing or two from me as well."

"Really?"

Sarah nodded.

"That sounds great."

"Sabrina, I know what you gave up for the agency. It was different for me. I didn't have the kind of life you did. The agency was my saving grace. I can't imagine giving up the life you had for this. That takes some real dedication."

Sabrina's demeanor changed as she thought about what Sarah was saying. Everything she had given up. Those she left behind.

"It will be worth it." Sabrina replied. "I should probably get going." she said making her way to the door.

"Caroline, I met your parents."

The words caused her to freeze in her tracks. She hadn't heard anyone use her real name in nearly four years now.

* * *

><p>"Come on Bartowski, you need to block the hits!" Casey yelled.<p>

Chuck stumbled backward for what seemed like the 100th time as he tried to recover from the latest blow to his stomach. "I'm trying Casey."

Casey eased up on him; he knew this wasn't easy for him. He had to give him credit though. Chuck could have easily had his father remove the intersect and be done with this, but he chose to keep it and to become a spy. A worthy profession and not one to be taken lightly. He had made a commitment to his country and Casey couldn't find fault with that.

"Get a drink." Casey said lowering his fists and backing off.

Chuck stood upright, trying to regain his composure, his hand holding his stomach where he had just been hit. Chuck grabbed his water bottle and took a swig.

"It's not as easy as you thought it would be is it?" Casey asked.

Chuck gave him a knowing look. "I didn't realize how out of shape I am."

Casey grunted his agreement with Chuck's statement.

"It'll get easier right?"

"It's your first day Bartowski." came Casey's reply, "But in my experience, it's going to get worse before it gets better."

Chuck's mouth nearly hit the floor hearing this. He didn't know if he would be able to tolerate much more than he had already. How would he ever get through this?

"Come on." Casey said. "Breaks over."

"What? I thought we were done?"

Casey smirked. "Not even close Bartowski."

* * *

><p>Sarah paced the floor of her hotel room in anticipation of Chuck's arrival. She had expected him nearly an hour ago. She definitely had a few things to clear up with him. The main one being him discussing their relationship with other team members, particularly ones they didn't know very well.<p>

Sure, she had finally gotten a chance to sit down and talk with Sabrina and surprisingly she liked her. She was a nice girl and from what Sarah had read on her in her file, a decent spy. Maybe having another girl around on the team wouldn't be such a bad thing after all, but still, Chuck had no right to discuss their personal business with her. Right?

The light knock on her door distracted her from her thoughts. She moved to answer it. Searching the peephole first. She swung the door open to come face to face with him.

He looked utterly exhausted and overwhelmed and once again she felt her whole demeanor change. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him and any anger she had towards him had gone completely out the window with just one glance.

"Hey." he said. "Sorry I'm so late. Casey kept me longer than expected."

"It's okay." She replied, stepping aside so that he could enter.

Chuck slowly made his way into the apartment. Sarah detected a slight limp to his step.

"You okay?" She asked eyeing him up and down.

"I'm just tired." he replied.

"I can see that. We don't have to do dinner tonight if you don't feel up to it."

"No." He moved towards her slowly and took her hands into his. "I've been looking forward to it all day, besides I promised you."

"Well why don't we just order a pizza or something and we can just eat it here and talk." She said nonchalantly

"Talk? Is something wrong?" he asked with hesitation.

"Just some things that we need to clear up." she replied.

"This sounds serious." still holding on to her hands he pulled her a little closer.

"It's nothing to worry about." she reassured him.

"Okay. So...can I give you a kiss and greet you properly now?" he asked with a wink.

Sarah smiled. "You better."

He pulled her into his arms and Sarah wrapped hers around his waist. Chuck winced in pain from the pressure and Sarah quickly pulled back.

"What is it?" She asked with concern.

"Nothing. I just...I took a few hits today; I'm just a little sore."

Sarah reached for the bottom of his shirt and without hesitating lifted it up, revealing several bruises to his abdomen.

"Oh my God Chuck! Casey did this to you? I'm going to kill him!"

"Sarah, relax. It's fine. Look it's just part of the training. I'm going to get hit Sarah."

"I know that. I just...it was only your first day... he needs to not be so rough with you."

"Sarah, you have to stop coddling me."

"Coddling you? I don't coddle you Chuck."

Chuck gave her a look indicating he knew better.

Sarah sighed. "Okay, maybe I do a little. I can't help it Chuck. It was my job to protect you and now, even though it isn't my job anymore, I just...I don't want you to get hurt."

"I know that. And I love that about you. To know that you are always there for me. But Sarah, it's time to let me out of the car."

She exhaled, releasing a breath she was unaware she was even holding. "I don't know how to do that Chuck."

He pulled her into his arms. "Well we'll figure it out together." his lips grazed her forehead and she carefully wrapped her arms around him.

* * *

><p>Chuck and Sarah sat on top of her bed; the pizza box sprawled out between them as they finished their late dinner. As tired as he was, Chuck managed to plow 4 slices. Sarah had to laugh at that, she didn't know where he put it all. He caught the grin on her face as she went to take a drink from her bottle of beer.<p>

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing." she smiled. "I just don't know where you put it all. If I ate like you Chuck, I'd be twice my size."

"What? I worked up an appetite today."

"I know you did." she said with a smile.

Chuck tossed the tail end piece of his pizza crust down on the box. "So what did you want to talk about?" he finally asked since she had yet to bring it up.

Sarah straightened up. She closed the pizza box and set it down on the floor next to the bed.

"Agent Andrews came to see me this afternoon."

Chuck swallowed hard. He had a feeling he knew where this was going.

"Oh?" he questioned.

"It seems you two had a little chat today. About us."

"Uhh yeah. I just...well, she thought you hated her, I just...I may have told her about us."

Sarah gave him a disapproving look.

"Okay, I did tell her about us. Just that we had some things we needed to work out."

"Chuck those THINGS we need to work out, are private. You know I'm a very private person and when I share things with you, I expect them to stay with just you not the entire CIA. Besides you know the agency warned us not to let our relationship interfere with work. When you bring these issues up at work, IT INTERFERES."

"Baby, I know. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. The last thing I would want to do is hurt you and lose your trust. I guess, I just needed to talk about it."

"Then you should have talked to me. If something concerning us is bothering you, then you talk to me first, not everyone else."

"I know. I'm sorry." he reached out his hand and lifted her chin to look at him. "Forgive me?"

Sarah smiled. She gave him a slight nod of the head before he leaned in and pressed his lips softly against her.

"I love you." he said as they parted lips.

"I love you too Chuck."

* * *

><p>"Mmm…God that feels good." Chuck mumbled. His face planted into the pillow beneath him as Sarah, straddling him from behind, continued to work out the kinks in his neck. She slowly worked her way down his back, gently massaging his tight, strained muscles.<p>

"I know you think it hurts now Chuck, but you are probably going to feel a lot worse in the morning."

"What?" he asked twisting his head around to get a glimpse of her.

She pushed him back down while she continued to work her magic on him. He moaned softly under her touch.

"Don't worry Chuck. After a nice stretch and a morning run you'll feel much better tomorrow."

"What? A run? Are you crazy? I can't go running, I can barely move!" he protested.

Sarah snickered. "Aren't you the one who earlier told me to stop coddling you? To let you out the car?"

"Well yeah…but…I meant…gradually. I didn't say throw me out of the car."

Sarah smiled. "Being a little dramatic aren't we?" she asked.

Chuck slowly rolled over onto his back so that Sarah was not straddling his waist. She rested her hands on his bare abdomen to steady herself.

"Sarah when have you ever known me to be dramatic?" he asked.

Sarah laughed. "Are you being serious?"

Chuck smiled. "Okay, so I can be a little dramatic from time to time."

Sarah raised her eyebrow at him, causing him to laugh even more. "Okay, quite often actually."

"It's okay Chuck. You always keep me on my toes. You're like every spy's dream."

"Oh yeah." Chuck's hands instinctively began to caress her thighs, which elicited another smile from her.

Sarah leaned down and kissed him tenderly on the lips. He brought his hand up and clasped it behind her neck. The sweetness of her lips left him yearning for more. Unfortunately his pure exhaustion after the day he had was winning out. He pulled her into his body and wrapped his arms securely around her, holding her to him. She closed her eyes and sighed contently as she rested her cheek against his chest. He kissed the top of her head.

"Are you staying tonight?" she asked breaking the silence between them.

He toyed with her long blonde tresses splayed across his chest.

"I don't think I could leave if I wanted to. My legs feel like Jell-O."

Sarah smiled. "Good, cause I don't want you to." She pressed her lips against his chest.

"Sarah?"

"Hmm?"

"Are we really going running in the morning?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>So, a little movement, Chuck is training, the team is coming together, Charah fluffiness, what more could you want? So you may be wondering why I didn't include Sarah's conversation with Sabrina (Caroline) after Sarah revealed that she knew her real name and that she had met her parents. Well, that's because I just didn't. The topic will come up, I'm not just blowing it off and maybe we'll see how that conversation went, but I haven't decided that yet. Sometimes I'm a big believer in 'less is more.' I look forward to your reviews. Thanks for reading.<strong>_


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Okay so I realize it has been some time since my last update on this. I have unfortunately been suffering some writer's block added on to an extreme lack of time. Anyway, I hope you all are still interested in reading this.**

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

**Chapter 25**

_**Two weeks later**_

Sarah ducked Sabrina's left hook causing the girl to swat at the air.

"Is that the best you got?" Sarah goaded her, just before delivering a right jab to Sabrina's cheek followed by a punch to the stomach that sent her stumbling backwards.

Sabrina quickly recovered and struck back, catching Sarah by surprise when she dispensed a roundhouse kick to her face. Sabrina swept her leg and Sarah hit the mat, landing flat on her back.

"Oh my God! Are you okay?" Sabrina rushed to her side leaning over her.

Sarah laughed as she sat upright. She wiped at the blood on her lower lip. "You're getting better." Sarah said as Sabina extended her hand to her to help her up.

"Thanks, but you're still holding back, I can tell."

"You can't learn everything overnight, but I have to say, that was one hell of a roundhouse."

Sabrina smiled. "Thanks. I have a good teacher."

Sarah stood upright and began removing her hand wraps.

"You want to grab some lunch? Casey and Chuck are stuck at the Buy More all afternoon." Sabrina suggested.

"Sure. Just let me get showered and changed."

Sarah and Sabrina went about getting cleaned up and changed out of their workout clothes. The two had been getting along quite well since their conversation two weeks ago. Sarah had been mentoring Sabrina and working on her training on the side, while she and the rest of the team continued with Chuck's training as well.

Sarah was actually starting to really like having another girl on the team. Sabrina was a good spy and her combat skills were really improving. Sarah knew she would come in handy in the field.

* * *

><p>Chuck sat at the Nerd Herd desk. His head resting on his arms with his forehead planted in the desk top out of boredom.<p>

"Come on Chuck, what do you say, Call of Duty marathon tonight. We can get some Meatball Marinaras, some brewskies…"

"Sorry Morgan." Chuck said cutting him off. "We played last night, tonight I have plans with Sarah. I've barely seen her all week."

"Speak of the devil." Morgan replied.

"Hmm?" Chuck said lifting his head and sitting upright in his seat. Morgan gestured to the entrance of the store where Sarah was coming through the door. Chuck and Sarah made eye contact with one another and they shared a smile as she sauntered towards him. He watched her with a goofy grin plastered on his face.

Morgan rolled his eyes. "You are so whipped man." He said before heading back to home electronics.

"Hey." Chuck said with a smile as Sarah approached the desk.

"Hey." She said as Chuck leaned across the counter that stood between them and gave her a small kiss on the lips.

"Mmm….What was that? I thought you weren't good with the PDA?" she asked with a smile.

Chuck smiled back. "I'm working on it." He said. "I've missed you this week. I feel like I've barely seen you."

"I know. I thought you would have come over last night." She said suggestively.

"I was going to. Then Morgan showed up at the apartment giving me a hard time about blowing him off the past two weeks. He ended up staying late, then I fell asleep on the couch and it was after 3am when I woke up. I wasn't going to come over at that hour and wake you."

"I would have been okay with that." Sarah said toying with his thin gray tie as he leaned over the counter.

Chuck was about to lean in and kiss her again when he caught sight of Casey out of the corner of his eye. He had his nose scrunched up with a look of disgust on his face as he took in the two love birds. He could hear Casey's grunt of disapproval from all the way across the store. Chuck's attention shifted to the entrance Sarah had just come through and he saw Sabrina standing there.

"Sabrina's here."

Sarah turned and took note of the girl standing by the doors.

"It's her day off. Is something wrong?" Chuck asked his voice full of concern.

"No, she's just waiting for me. We just finished a training session, we're going to grab some lunch together."

Chuck raised his eyebrow at her revelation. "Oh?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to bring you this before we headed out." She handed him the cup of frozen yogurt.

"You didn't have to do that." He said.

Sarah smiled. "Well maybe I just wanted an excuse to see you." She confessed.

Chuck smiled in response. "I can't wait to finally take you out tonight."

"And where exactly are we going?"

"I told you, out to dinner and then, well…we'll see where the night takes us."

"If you don't tell me where you are taking me, how am I supposed to know how to dress?"

"Wear whatever you want. It doesn't matter what you wear. You could wear a garbage bag and you would still be the most beautiful sight in the room."

Sarah laughed. "You're a real smooth talker you know that."

"You think so? Is it working?" he asked with a wink.

"Maybe a little." She admitted.

He leaned in to kiss her once more. She pulled away after a few seconds before things got too hot and heavy, then she would never want to leave.

"I have to go, Sabrina's waiting." She said.

Chuck sighed heavily. "Alright. I'll pick you up at 7."

"Okay. I'll see you later." She said with a smile as she made her way towards the door occasionally looking back to catch a glimpse of him watching her walk away with that goofy grin plastered on his face.

"Ready?" Sabrina asked as Sarah approached.

Sarah gave her a nod and the two left the Buy More.

* * *

><p>"Oh my God, this shrimp is so good. How did you ever find this restaurant?" Sabrina asked.<p>

Sarah chuckled, "Believe it or not, Morgan Grimes."

"Chuck's friend? The one from the Buy More?"

Sarah nodded. "It's kind of his gift. The man has a nose for good food."

Sabrina laughed. "That's a good gift to have."

The two enjoyed their lunch and conversed about the last two weeks. They talked about how Chuck's training was coming along as well as Sabrina's. They also shared numerous stories from their cover jobs, most of which involved crazy customers. Sarah was thoroughly enjoying herself. The only time she had ever talked like this before with another woman had been with Ellie and even then, she couldn't be completely truthful. Not all the time anyway. Not when it came to her work or her past.

"Sarah, can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah. What is it?"

"Is it hard?...Trying to have a relationship with Chuck?...You know while living the kind of life we do?"

Sarah contemplated the question for a moment before answering. "It was hard before. Not having a relationship with him. Trying to hide my feelings. Telling myself he was just an assignment when I knew better."

Sabrina looked down at the table.

"What is it?" Sarah asked.

She shook her head. "It's nothing."

"Well it's something."

Sabrina sighed. "It's just hard sometimes. When I chose this life, I thought I would at least have Andrew. And then…Well that didn't exactly work out."

Sarah couldn't help but feel sympathetic. She knew the kind of sacrifices one made in this life. She herself had been down a dangerous, lonely path. Had it not been for Chuck, there's no telling where she would be today. He had been her saving grace.

"I'm sorry. I get it, I do." Sarah replied. "You know, up until a few weeks ago I never thought I would have what I do now with Chuck. I didn't even know it was something I wanted, but now…I can't imagine my life without it…without Chuck."

Sabrina smiled. The way things had started off between her and Sarah, she never thought in a million years she would be sitting here with her, enjoying a nice a lunch and such personal conversation, but she was thoroughly enjoying it.

"Sarah, what about your family?"

"What about them?" She asked.

"Do you see them? Do they know what you do?"

Sarah frowned, "It's complicated."

"How so?" she questioned.

Sarah paused. Her family wasn't something she talked about freely or with just anyone for that matter. She looked at the girl sitting across from her, desperate for some glimmer of hope.

"My mother knows that I'm spy."

Sabrina's face lit up. "And she's okay with that?" she asked.

"To be honest Sabrina, she was a nervous wreck over the whole thing. I cut myself off from her to protect her."

Sabrina was on the edge of her seat as she listened intently to every word Sarah had to say.

"Sabrina, I've never really talked to anyone about her, so I'd appreciate it if you kept this to yourself."

Sabrina smiled. Her mentor and her new friend was confiding in her, not something she did with just anyone, that was something Sabrina had picked up on rather early with Sarah.

"I promise. This conversation stays between us."

Sarah gave her an appreciative smile.

"When was the last time you saw her?" Sabrina continued.

"Almost 4 years ago."

"Yeah." Sabrina's face fell, it was all too familiar. It had been just as long since she had seen her parents. Since her staged murder. It killed her to think how much pain that must have caused them, but she knew they would never approve of the life style she had chosen, they wouldn't be able to live with it. She had told herself, it would be better to just cut them off now, then to cause them so much worry in the years that would follow. They had always been overprotective to say the least. It was a miracle they had even agreed to allow her to live away from home to attend college. They would never be okay with her risking her life every day for a job, no matter how much she believed in what she was doing.

"What about your father Sarah?"

Sarah frowned. "He doesn't know. I don't see him very often."

Sabrina couldn't help but notice how indifferent Sarah seemed when talking about her father, so she decided not to push it.

"Do you ever regret the choice you made? Cutting your mother out of your life, even though you did it to protect her?"

"I try not to think about that. There were reasons I had to do what I did. Things I can't talk about." Sarah spoke in hushed tones.

"You met my parents Sarah; you spent some time with them, and talked with them….Do you think…do you think I made the right decision?" Sabrina asked.

Sarah looked at her with sympathetic eyes. "I can't answer that. But I will say, from what I've seen I think your parents are a lot stronger, a lot more capable than you give them credit for.

Sabrina's head fell once again. She was more confused than ever. She had thought she was making the right choice years ago, but maybe she was wrong. One thing she did know was that she no longer felt hungry.

* * *

><p>Ellie and Devon sat lounging on the couch watching television after both having just worked an 18 hour shift at the hospital. Ellie looked up when she heard Chuck emerge from his bedroom.<p>

"Date tonight?" she asked her brother as he made his way for the door.

"Yeah. Sarah and I have dinner plans."

"We haven't seen much of you this week. Or Sarah for that matter."

"Yeah…work has been pretty crazy this week." He replied.

"Well Devon and I have the weekend off, how about the four of us do dinner tomorrow night?" Ellie suggested.

"Sounds good. I'll talk with Sarah."

Ellie responded with a smile as Chuck continued on his path for the door.

"Have fun!" She called out to him.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Devon added.

As he closed the door behind him, Chuck snickered at the sound of Devon wincing in pain from the connection Ellie's elbow just made with his ribs.

* * *

><p>Sarah stood in front of her bathroom mirror, her towel wrapped securely around her as she finished applying her make-up; she was taking her time getting ready. She knew Chuck would be there any minute now and clearly she wasn't dressed yet, but she had an ulterior motive. She had three different outfits laid out just waiting for her to choose one.<p>

Sarah sprayed some perfume on her neck and rubbed some on her wrists. Just as she placed the bottle back down on the edge of the sink, she heard the knock at the door. She smirked as she gave herself one last once over in the mirror before moving to answer the door. "Right on time Chuck." She said making her way through her hotel suite to answer it.

She quickly peered through the peephole. Once she had confirmed that is was Chuck at her door she was quick to open it.

"Hey." She said greeting him.

Chuck's mouth fell open when he took in her appearance. "Hey." He finally said. "You're not ready."

Sarah stepped aside allowing him to make his way through the door. She closed it behind him.

"That's not exactly the greeting I was hoping for." She stated matter of factly.

Chuck smiled as he stepped in closer to her. His hands came to rest gently on her towel clad hips. "Sorry." He said. "Hello beautiful." He said leaning in to press his lips softly against hers.

"That's better." She said.

Sarah took a step back and took in his appearance. He was wearing a pair of denim jeans with a black button up shirt. She loved him in black. His sleeves rolled to a ¾ length, his top button was left undone so it was less constricting around his neck. He completed his outfit with his signature black and white converse.

"You look nice." She commented.

Chuck took note of her examination and it became very clear to him what she was doing.

"Are you serious?"

"What?" she asked innocently.

"You purposely didn't get dressed yet, so you could see what I was wearing."

"Chuck that is ridiculous." She said with sly look in her eye and a smile. "Give me two minutes, I'll be right out." She turned to move towards the bathroom, but he caught hold of her by the arm and pulled her back, much to her surprise.

"Not so fast Agent Walker." He pulled her in close so that she was pressed right up against him. "You're not fooling anyone Sarah." He said breathlessly in her ear. "Tell me you didn't purposely wait to get dressed so you could check out my outfit first?"

Sarah smiled. She ran her finger seductively down his chest. She turned to whisper in his ear, her hot breath tickled his neck. "Give me two minutes Chuck." She said as she slipped out of his arms and sauntered off to the bathroom, leaving Chuck standing frozen in place with nothing else to say.

Once inside the bathroom, Sarah couldn't help but chuckle, the look on Chuck's face was priceless. And of course he was right. She had to see what he was wearing before they went out, but it was his own fault, he's the one who wouldn't tell her where he was taking her, how was she supposed to know how to dress.

She quickly slipped into one of the more casual outfits she had picked out, which consisted of a pair of black legging pants with a fuscia colored tunic with a belt around the waist. It was lower cut, which accentuated her ample chest nicely. She quickly threw on a pair of dangling earrings and slipped into a pair of heels.

Just as she promised she returned to where Chuck was waiting within two minutes. He had reverted to sitting on the edge of her bed while he waited patiently. He looked up when he heard the bathroom door open. His grin stretched ear to ear when he saw her emerge. He quickly came to meet her in the middle of the room.

"Ready." She said approaching him.

"Wow. Sarah you look great." He reached for her hands, which she gladly offered up to him.

"Thank you." She said.

He pulled her in a little closer and pressed his lips against hers briefly before retracting from her.

"Mmm…and you smell incredible."

"You like that one huh?" she asked.

"I like them all Sarah."

She smiled at his response. "Come on, or we may never get out of here." She said.

Chuck intertwined his fingers with hers and the two made their way out the door.

* * *

><p>Sarah roared with laughter when their hibachi chef missed Chuck's plate for the third time and bounced more food off the end of his nose. She covered her mouth to try to stifle her laughter when he gave her a disapproving look.<p>

"Here." She said. Grabbing her napkin with one hand she took hold of his chin with the other and wiped at his face. Chuck burst out laughing at her attempt not to. Sarah in return started laughing once again.

"I'm sorry….I don't mean to laugh." She managed to get out between giggles.

"Well, it is pretty funny. And since fun is my theme for this evening, it fits right in."

Sarah was finally able to get her laughter under control. "An evening of fun huh?"

"Well fun is my middle name." he replied. Chuck raised his glass to take a sip.

"Really? I thought it was Irving?" she replied with a smirk.

Chuck nearly choked as he spit his water across the counter, dousing the hibachi chef with the clear liquid.

Sarah's hand rose to cover her mouth again to stifle her laughter as Chuck quickly began apologizing to the man across from him. The chef just glared in response.

"Chuck maybe we should go." Sarah suggested.

Chuck gave her a nod. He reached for his wallet, pulled out some money and tossed it down on the counter. He stood up and reached for Sarah's hand. The two of them exited the restaurant in record time. Once they were out the front door the two burst into laughter once again.

"Oh my God! Did you see the look on his face?" Chuck roared with laughter.

Sarah followed suit as the two stumbled outside. She latched onto him in an effort to keep from losing her balance. "I don't know if we'll ever be allowed back here."

Chuck's arms closed around her, steadying her. Noticing their close proximity their laughter subsided. Sarah's arms clasped around his neck, while his circled her waist. They simultaneously leaned in until their lips met one another's. The kiss began as sweet an innocent, but quickly turned into something heated and full of passion.

"Mmm." A soft moan escaped her lips and the two forced themselves to pull away. Their foreheads rested gently against one another.

Chuck sighed heavily and managed to break away from her. He had to get some distance or this date could be over very soon. No, he was determined to show her a good time tonight. To give her an honest to goodness, old fashioned date. A night of fun. There would be plenty of time to be intimate later on.

She immediately missed his arms around her, but she understood. The extreme closeness was too much for both of them. She knew Chuck had a mission tonight and she wanted nothing more than for him to succeed.

"How about some ice cream?" he asked.

"That sounds great." She said with a smile.

He offered her his hand once again and the two laced their fingers together once again as they strolled down the street, to the nearest ice cream shop.

* * *

><p>They walked hand in hand along the boardwalk, enjoying their ice cream cones', occasionally stealing tastes of each other's as they walked. They stopped briefly to watch a street performer who was putting on an elaborate show for the crowd breathing and swallowing fire. It was actually quite impressive Chuck thought.<p>

They continued their walk down the Boardwalk. They eventually came to a beachside bar that was quite hopping to say the least. The music blared out into the night air.

"Want to go in?" Chuck asked. "Grab drink?"

"Sure." She replied.

The two stepped inside and made their way through the crowd up to the bar.

"What do you want?" He asked as they neared the counter.

"Just a beer." She replied.

The bartender approached and Chuck ordered two beers. He handed Chuck two bottles and Chuck slapped some money down on the counter.

Chuck handed one of the bottles to Sarah. "You want to get a table?" he spoke loudly so she could hear him over the music.

"Let's dance." She said, taking hold of his hand and dragging him towards the dance floor before he had a chance to protest.

They made their way through the crowd. Once Sarah found a spot she was happy with she turned to face him. She began moving with the music. Chuck watched appreciatively as she moved her body before him.

"Come on Chuck." She said as she moved in closer, pressing her body up against his. With his beer in one hand, he placed his free hand on her hip and moved with her on the dance floor.

She clasped her free hand onto the back of his neck as they moved in synch with the music. The two continued to dance and partake in a couple more drinks over the next 2 hours. Eventually they found themselves gravitating back out to the boardwalk to get some air. The cooler air felt great. Chuck's not normally much of a dancer, at least not this kind of dancing, but he had to admit he was having a good time and Sarah really seemed to put him at ease allowing him to let go of his inhibitions.

"That was fun." Sarah said as she leaned against the wooden railing that looked out over the beach.

"Yeah it was." He said coming up next to her.

The two were silent for a while as they looked out at the water.

"It's a beautiful night." Sarah commented.

Chuck's attention shifted to the beauty by his side. "It sure is." He said with a smile.

She turned to face him. They stared longingly into one another's eyes for a brief moment before Chuck leaned in to kiss her. It was short, but efficient just the same.

"How about a walk on the beach?" he asked.

"That sounds nice."

The two stood upright and he reached for her hand again. They made their way down to the sand hand in hand, stopping only once to remove their shoes.

It was incredibly tranquil as the two walked along the shore line. The only sound was that of the waves crashing against the shore. They were happy, content with the silence. They didn't need to speak, they just needed each other.

"Tonight's been really great Chuck. I'm really glad we did this." Sarah said breaking the silence between them.

"It has been fun hasn't it?" She nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Ellie and Devon want to do dinner with us tomorrow night."

"Sure." Sarah replied. "Sounds great."

Chuck offered her a smile.

"You know if someone told me two months ago, that we'd be walking the beach hand in hand like this, I would have told them they were crazy."

Sarah stopped walking and turned to face him. She smoothed her hands over his chest. "Because you're too good for me?" she asked.

"Funny." He replied. "No, because as much as I dreamed about it and hoped for it, I never in a million years thought you would give me the time of day."

Her hand slid up his chest and moved to caress his cheek. The moonlight glistened off her hair. "Chuck Bartowski, you are making all my dreams come true…. I love you."

His smile stretched ear to ear. "And I love you." He leaned down and kissed her sensually on her lips. When their lips parted he continued to hold her in his arms and she continued to let him. Several minutes passed before they started walking again.

It was Sarah who broke their silence once again. "Are you worried about your training for next week?" she asked.

Neither of them had talked much about it, mostly because he knew it made her uneasy. In two days he was set to start his chemical warfare/withstanding torture training with Casey. Sarah had specifically asked to not be a part of it. She refused to be the one to deliberately inflict pain on him or to sit idly by while he suffered at another's hand. Casey would be in charge of this one.

"Well, I'm not really looking forward to it if that's what you're asking."

"Chuck just promise you won't take this lightly. This is the hardest, most intense training you will ever have to face as a spy…. I barely survived it."

His arms circled her waist. "I'll never take any of this lightly Sarah."

"I worry about you." She replied.

His hand caressed her cheek and he pushed her hair back behind her ear. "I know you do. I wish you didn't."

"You understand why I can't be a part of it?" She asked.

He gave her a nod. "I do. And if that's what it takes to get through this, then I'm okay with it."

"Maybe you should spend the week at my place. It may not be a good idea going home to two doctors with bruises and whatever else Casey inflicts on you."

He nodded again. "You're probably right. And I would never turn down a night with you." He gave her a wink.

"Like you're going to be in any kind of shape to do anything but sleep." She remarked. "You thought your first few days of training were rough on your body, you haven't seen anything yet."

"Okay, now, you're starting to worry me."

"You should be worried Chuck."

He sighed heavily. "Do we have to think about this tonight? I really just want to focus on us tonight."

"I'm sorry, it's just…I guess I've been worrying about it."

"I wish there was something I could do or something I could say that would put your mind at ease, but I know there isn't."

"I'm sorry; I don't want to ruin the night."

"You're not. And clearly this is something that's weighing heavily on your mind. I don't want to just dismiss it. I love that you want to talk about it. We should be talking about it if it bothers you."

Sarah smiled, smoothing her hands over his chest. "Well maybe it can wait until tomorrow." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. Chuck smiled as he took hold of her hand once more and the two of them continued their path down the beach.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay so nothing too pivotal in this chapter but hopefully it helped me get back on track with the story. I'm still not completely 100% over the writer's block but it is definitely a little better. I cannot promise a quick update, because unfortunately I still do not have much time for writing right now, but I am trying to do better with it. Anyway, I hope you are still sticking around and I look forward to any reviews you would like to leave for me. Thanks for reading.<strong>_


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Okay, so another long awaited update. The writer's block is getting better. This chapter actually kind of helped push through it a little more. I also just want to say how much I appreciate all the reviews and PM's you readers have left for me throughout the course of this story. They really are what has kept it going. Also just a side note to my fellow writers, I want to appologize for any lack of feedback to your stories on my part. I honestly have not been reading much here, I think with the exception of maybe 2 or 3 stories. So if I normally review and didn't, it's because I haven't read it yet. I have a feeling that once this is completed and the "New Girl" sequel, I will probably go on a bender and just read everything.**

**That said, this chapter is not much for story movement, but it did help me get back into the writing, so take it for what it is.**

*****A small warning on this one, it kind of pushes the envelope a little farther than I usually do and I would say the rating on this chapter is boarding close to an M rating. So, if that's not your thing maybe you don't want the read this one. And if it is your thing…well, enjoy!*** **

**Disclaimer: I clearly do not own Chuck so don't try suing me.**

**Chapter 26**

"Why are you sulking?" She asked, scrutinizing him from the passenger seat and finally breaking the uncomfortable silence that had formed between them ever since she had gotten the phone call from Director Johnson, ultimately putting a damper on their Saturday afternoon.

The two had been enjoying their day off together. It started with a late morning jog, followed by a nice hot shower. They grabbed a quick lunch in the city followed by a matinee at the new cinema that just opened last week.

"I'm not sulking Sarah." He replied pulling into a parking space at the café they were headed to.

"Look Chuck." She turned in her seat, placing her hand on his arm. "I don't want to go this week either. I mean talk about bad timing, but I don't have a choice. Spies can't pick and choose their missions. When you get the order to go, you go. When you're a spy, you'll understand."

Sarah was surprised herself when Johnson had called, but orders were orders. Come tomorrow, her and Agent Andrews were scheduled to fly out to Paraguay. Their orders were to infiltrate and bring down an international arms dealer taking up residence there, who was well on his way of becoming a major national threat.

"Sarah, I know it's the job and I get it… It's not that."

"Then what is it?" She asked.

Chuck gave his head a shake and averted her gaze.

She reached out with her hand and brushed it against his cheek. "Chuck?"

He turned to face her again. "I'm sorry. I know I'm acting childish here…It's just…" his words drifted off.

"Tell me." She spoke softly.

"I guess…Maybe I'm a little more nervous about this upcoming week than I let on…It's just… Sarah, you're the only person I can talk to about this and well… now you're not going to be here."

Sarah's heart sunk at his revelation. She slid across her seat towards him. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into her. "Chuck, I'm going to be with you whether I'm here or not. I'll always be with you, no matter what."

His arms closed around her and he buried his face in her long blonde locks, taking in her scent.

"What if I can't do this Sarah? What if I can't cut it?"

"You will Chuck, and you can. You can do anything you want to. I've seen you."

She pulled away just enough to look him in the eyes. She caressed his cheek gently with the palm of her hand as she rested her forehead against his. "You're so much stronger than you know." She leaned in and brushed her lips against the corner of his mouth.

"You have a lot of confidence in me." He replied.

"Because I know what you can do, and hopefully you will too one day."

Chuck smiled. "Alright. I'm done feeling sorry for myself."

Sarah gave him a raised eyebrow.

"What? I am. I just want to enjoy the weekend. You know, before the torture starts." He said with a chuckle.

Sarah smiled.

"Come on." He said. "Lets get those coffees, I could use a little pick me up."

The two exited the car. Chuck reached for her hand and they headed into the café.

* * *

><p>Sarah was still on her cell phone when Chuck pulled into his apartment complex in Echo Park. He parked the car and the two got out.<p>

"Sabrina, it will be fine….Well if you can fit it in your suitcase…." Sarah spoke into her phone.

The two of them headed towards Chuck's apartment.

"Okay….Look I have to go, we're having dinner with Chuck's family…Okay…I'll see you tomorrow. Bye." Sarah hung up the phone and tucked it back into her pocket.

"Everything okay?" Chuck asked.

"Yeah." Sarah said linking her arm with his. "She's just nervous….It's her first big mission out in the field. She feels like she has a lot riding on this."

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Chuck replied as they entered the courtyard.

"She will." Sarah came to halt as they neared the fountain in the center of the courtyard. "Now, no more talk about work tonight, okay?" She leaned into him.

Chuck smiled. "You got it." He said as they continued up to the door of his apartment.

Ellie excitedly greeted her brother and Sarah as they entered the apartment. She had seen so little of them lately so she was really looking forward to spending time with them tonight.

The four of them opted to stay in and order a pizza. They spent the night catching up over drinks and partaking in board games. Who knew Sarah and Devon were so competitive. Ellie and Chuck smiled as they watched their significant others duke it over a game of Pictionary. Chuck loved seeing Sarah so fired up over something so…normal.

Chuck stood up and began clearing some empty bottles and glasses. "Anyone need a refill?" He asked as he headed for the kitchen.

"I could use another beer." Devon spoke up.

"I'll take a refill since you're offering." Ellie said handing Chuck her empty wine glass.

Sarah quickly moved to help him.

In the kitchen, Chuck stood at the counter with his back to her as he poured his sister another glass of wine. Sarah placed her own empty glass down on the counter beside him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Standing on the tips of her toes she rested her chin on his shoulder. "I'll take a glass of that." She said.

Chuck grabbed her glass and poured the remaining Merlot from the bottle in his hand. He turned to face her handing her the glass. She took it from him and placed it back down on the counter and wrapped her arms around his waist. Sarah leaned in and began nuzzling his neck. Chuck's hands made their way down her hips and caressed her bottom as she pinned him against the counter.

"Mmm…Why don't you stay tonight?" He spoke in hushed tones.

Sarah looked up and their eyes connected. She ran her hands over his chest smoothing out his shirt as she quickly averted his gaze.

"You know I can't…I still have to pack for tomorrow."

Chuck pulled away somewhat discouraged. Sarah tightened her grip on him and pulled him back into her.

"Hey. Come on….Listen, maybe you can come help me pack." she moved in closer to him pressing her body up against his suggestively. "I'm not leaving until almost noon tomorrow, so if I get everything in order tonight, then maybe I can sleep in a little."

This caught his attention. "Yeah?" he asked.

"Mmm hmm." She leaned in and began nuzzling his neck once again.

"Well maybe we should get you back to your place and get this packing done." He suggested. Chuck glanced down at his watch. "It is getting kind of late."

Sarah grabbed his arm and looked at his watch. "It's only 10:15 Chuck."

"So."

Sarah smiled. "We'll leave at 11:00."

Chuck conceded. "Fine…But not a minute later."

With a smile, Sarah reached behind him and grabbed her glass of wine and Ellie's off the counter. She turned and headed back towards the living room. Chuck watched her appreciatively as she walked away. He threw opened the fridge and grabbed a beer for himself and one for Devon and left the kitchen to rejoin everyone in the living room.

* * *

><p>"That was fun tonight." Sarah said making her way into her hotel room, Chuck following closely behind her. She flipped the light switch on the wall and Chuck closed the door.<p>

"Yeah it was."

Sarah tossed her keys down on the table by the door and shed herself of her jacket and hung it over the back of the chair nearby. Making her way over to her closet, she opened the double sided doors and pulled out her large suitcase. She brought it back to her bed and flopped it up on top.

"Do you have a lot to pack?" Chuck asked.

"Enough." She replied. "A spy always tries to pack light, but a mission like this…"

"What?" Chuck asked. "What about a mission like this?"

"Well….a mission like this…you just…you really don't know how long you'll be gone."

Sarah made her way over to her dresser drawer. She opened it and began collecting items.

"Well how long do you think you'll be gone?" Chuck asked, all kinds of thoughts now racing through his head.

"It's hard to say. I'm hoping no more than a week or two. It'll just depend on how the mission goes."

"So you could be gone longer than that?" he asked.

"It's a possibility." She laid her selected items out on her bed before moving back to the closet. She began rifling through her clothes picking a few select items.

Chuck sighed. There was no sense getting all worked up about it. It wouldn't change anything. Besides he needed to get used to missions like this if he was going to be a spy and more importantly, if he was going to be with a spy. "Well what do you need me to do?" He asked trying his best to sound indifferent.

"Can you grab my travel bag from the bathroom? The one with my toothbrush and shampoos in it. It's in the cupboard on the shelf above the towels."

"Sure." He said making his way to the bathroom.

By the time Chuck returned with the bag in question, Sarah was already placing items into her suitcase.

"Sarah is this it?" he asked holding up a black canvas bag as he approached.

"Yes." She said taking it from him. "Thank you."

"Sure. What else do you need?"

Sarah looked down at her bed examining her selections. "Shoes." She replied. "In the closet."

Chuck made his way over to the closet while Sarah worked on strategically placing her belongings in the suitcase.

Chuck's eyes just about popped out of his head when he came face to face with what could only be described as a small shoe store inside her closet.

"Umm Sarah…You're going to need to be more specific."

Sarah chuckled. "Alright, I'll get them. Can you grab me some pajamas and some undergarments?"

Chuck's face lit up. "That I can do." He made his way over to her dresser and opened her top drawer. Chuck grabbed a couple of her tank tops and the boy shorts underwear that he knew she preferred wearing for bed along with a pair of pajama pants and one of his t-shirts that he had left there and Sarah had claimed as her own.. He set them on the bed and then proceeded to grab some undergarments for her. The grin spread across his face as he carefully selected several pairs of matching bras and panties and placed them on the bed for her.

Sarah had moved on to choosing which weapons she was going to be taking with her, when something caught Chuck's eye. He held it up in front of him with two hands to examine it. It was a skimpy, pink, lacy negligee that he had never seen before.

"Umm Sarah…what's this?" he asked.

Sarah looked up to see what he had. She moved quickly to retrieve it from him and toss it back in the drawer. "YOU weren't supposed to see that!" Her voice was raised as she scowled at him.

He gave her a questioning look.

"Well, at least not yet anyway." Her voice softened. "I was saving it. It was supposed to be a surprise." She confessed.

"Well… I'm surprised… if that makes you feel any better." He said with a smile.

Sarah smiled in response and moved back to her suitcase. She finished up with her weapons and was tossing in the last of her personal items when Chuck caught sight of something sticking out of the pocket in the top of the suitcase.

"What's this?" he asked going to reach for it.

Sarah took note of this and quickly grabbed it before he had a chance to see it. She held it against her hiding it from him, and he looked at her with confusion.

She exhaled before turning the article around and holding it up for him the see.

"A picture?…Of us?" he questioned.

"It's just something I like to keep in my suitcase, when I go on missions. It makes me feel…safe I guess." She admitted.

"But Sarah, this is the first real mission you've had since we've been a real couple."

"I know." She replied.

"How long has it been in there?" He asked.

"You're full of questions tonight aren't you? Do you have any more for me?"

Chuck smiled at her uneasiness. "Well, that depends." He said.

"On what?"

"On your answer to this one." He replied with a smile as he moved in closer to her and placed his hands on her hips.

Sarah couldn't help but smile. The way he was looking at her, well it was turning her on to say the least. She was putty in his hands.

"Okay, I admit it. I've been carrying it around for a while now."

"Yeah?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Sarah nodded. "When the CIA brought you in….when I couldn't see you every day…I just…Well it helped to have a little piece of you with me."

With one hand still resting on her hip, he brought his other hand up to her face. He stroked her cheek gently before moving in to place a soft kiss on her lips.

"All that time that I was kept in that bunker… I wish I had had something of you with me. There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't spend the majority of it thinking about you. I kept seeing this image in my mind of you standing there on that rooftop. The tears in your eyes…It broke my heart seeing you like that…And I relived it every day."

"Chuck." Sarah could feel those tears he had been referring to threatening to make their presence known once again. She pulled him into her and wrapped her arms around him and they just held each other for what seemed to be the longest time.

"I'm sorry Chuck. I didn't want to get all sappy on you tonight. I just… I thought you were gone forever. For a long time, that picture was all I had…It means a lot to me."

Chuck nodded. He broke their embrace and tucked the picture back in the pocket inside the suitcase and closed it for her. He approached her slowly and his arms circled her waist and he pulled her in close once again. "I love you."

She leaned in and grazed her lips against his. "And I love you." She replied.

With Chuck's help, Sarah had finally finished packing just before midnight. Chuck helped her close the suitcase and move it, along with her other bags, off of the bed and place them near the door.

"I'm going to go change for bed." Sarah said making her way to her dresser. She opened the top drawer to retrieve some pajamas. "Ahh we packed my t-shirt didn't we?"

"Your t-shirt?" Chuck asked with a smile.

Sarah smiled as she turned her attention back to her drawer. The pink negligee that Chuck had held up earlier caught her eye and the smile that was already on her face doubled in size.

Chuck sat on the bed with his back to her as he worked on removing his shoes. Sarah grabbed the negligee and made a beeline for the bathroom.

* * *

><p>Sarah stood in front of the mirror adjusting herself. She smiled thinking about Chuck's reaction. He wouldn't be expecting her to come out of the bathroom wearing this. He was certainly in for a surprise. She made one last adjustment. Satisfied with her appearance she headed for the door.<p>

When Sarah exited the bathroom she found Chuck sitting on the far edge of the bed, his back to her as he toyed with his phone. He had stripped down to his boxers and t-shirt while she was in the bathroom changing. He cocked his head slightly in her direction when he heard her exit the bathroom.

"Sarah what time do you want me to set the alarm for?" he asked, having yet to fully turn and look at her.

"Nine is good." She replied.

Chuck finished punching in the time on his phone to set the alarm. Once he was finished he set it on the night stand next to the bed.

"There." Chuck moved to stand up. He turned slowly to face her. "It's all…set." His breath caught in his throat and his jaw just about hit the floor. He stood before her, mouth hanging open, eyes glazed over and at a complete loss for words.

"Are you okay?" Sarah asked inching closer to him with a raised eyebrow and the makings of a smile on her face.

"I…uh…" He struggled to deliver any words that he could alter into some kind of a coherent sentence.

Sarah chuckled. "Chuck." She repeated his name as she came to stand directly in front of him. She pressed her hands gently against his chest.

He swallowed hard and exhaled deeply. "Yeah?" he managed to get out as his eyes traveled, taking all of her in.

"Are you okay?" she repeated the question.

Chuck smiled. He poised his hands on her waist and took a step closer to her. "Yeah." He was able to regain some composure.

"You just…surprised me…is all."

Sarah's smile spread. "Well good. So my little surprise wasn't ruined when you found this in my drawer."

Chuck exhaled again. He moistened his lips with his tongue as he looked her over.

"Baby, you look….incredible." he said, pulling her a little closer to him. Incredible. That was the word he had settled on, when so many were running through his mind. Amazing, gorgeous, breathtaking, magnificent, sexy as hell. So many words he could have used to describe her. Right now he was just happy he was able to get one of them out. No one could turn him to a pile of mush like the one and only Sarah Walker could.

Sarah's hands returned to his chest. She loved the feel of his strong upper body and broad shoulders, which were growing in size by the day with all his increased physical activity. She could feel the contraction of every muscle under the fabric of his shirt with each movement and it drove her wild. Her hands slid upwards and landed on his shoulders and she took another step closer to him, closing any gap that had remained. The feel of his body pressed firmly against hers sent shivers down her spine as she anticipated his next move.

"I'm glad you like it." Her response was husky and lingered near his ear. Her mouth so close to making contact with him, taunting him.

She could feel his hands begin to travel. One slowly working its way down her bare thigh. Her flesh hot to his touch. His other hand slid upward from her opposite hip, circling around to the small of her back. And although she didn't think it was even humanly possible he managed to pull her in even closer. Sarah's breath caught in her throat this time as his lips descended on her neck.

"Do…you…have…any idea…what you…do…to me?" he managed to get out between kisses.

Sarah threw her head back and a soft moan escaped her as he continued to work on her neck. "If it's anything… like what you do to me…then I feel sorry for you." She said before biting down on her lip in an attempt to stifle the cries of elation that she could feel bubbling up inside of her threatening to spill over as her body reacted to his touch, his kiss.

He pulled away from her neck to make eye contact with her once again. Her eyes matched his with desire and a hunger that only each other could satisfy. He kissed her ardently. Her fingers combed through his hair frantically. Her mouth opened granting him further access. Not missing a beat, his tongue slipped inside her mouth and intertwined with hers and he continued to kiss her with fervor. Chuck had never wanted her more than he did at this very moment. In fact what he was feeling far surpassed want and was bordering on pure need. He needed her. He needed to feel her hot bare flesh pressed tightly against his. Her labored breathing and heart pounding in sync with his own. He needed to be close to her, inside of her. He needed to be one with her.

Sarah tugged at the bottom of his t-shit. Taking note of this he assisted her with its removal, only separating long enough to discard the material somewhere on the floor.

"Chuck." Her voice was raspy as he backed her up towards the bed. "I want you so bad."

They had been together for about a month now and during that time had been enjoying fairly regular sex or making love, like most new couples do in their honeymoon stage of the relationship, but this was different and they both felt it. There was an urgency tonight, a fire that had been lit between them. A hunger that needed to be satiated.

Maybe it had something to do with what tomorrow had to bring. Saying goodbye again, while Sarah ventured off on yet another dangerous mission and Chuck soon on his way to his own little world of torture. Or maybe it was that both of them had more to drink tonight than they thought. Maybe they were both just incredibly horny. Whatever it was, it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered right now was the moment at hand.

The edge of the bed hit the back of Sarah's knees. She collapsed onto it, scooting herself back. Lying down on the mattress she reached for his hands, beckoning him to come to her. He reached for them and she pulled him down to her. His knee hit the mattress between her legs and he hovered above of her, eyeing her like one does their last meal, ready to devour every last ounce of her. He slowly lowered himself down on top of her distributing his weight so as not to crush her. And although she was still wearing the pink negligee, with the little material it was made of, she was able to feel his bare skin rub against hers, sending waves of electricity coursing through her entire body.

His hand carefully worked its way under the lacy material and he gently massaged her breast, first with his hand and then with his mouth. Her body responded instantly, her nipple hardening to his touch. He smiled. Nothing gave him more pleasure than pleasing her. He repeated this action, giving her other breast the same treatment. Soft moans escaped her along with his name.

Chuck pulled off of her and moved onto his side so that he could work on removing the thin lacy confines that separated them. He worked the straps over her shoulders, shifting the material along the way. His mouth moved in to cover her newly exposed skin as she writhed beneath him. The beginnings of the morning scruff on his chin and cheeks rubbed against her sending all new sensations through her body.

So much for her taking him by surprise, she thought. Within a matter of seconds he had completely turned the tables on her.

It didn't take him long to remove the negligee, leaving her in just the matching panties that accompanied it. His mouth descended on her again. One of her hands worked its way through his hair while the other gripped at the sheet beneath her. Her body was on fire as his mouth worked its way down her torso, her abdomen, her pelvic region. He shifted himself so that he was nestled between her legs. His lips descending lower and lower. He kissed her center through the lacy material that covered her. Their only barrier.

Sarah's breath caught in her throat when she realized what he was doing. Slipping his fingertips under the material on each side he slid the material over her hips and shimmied it down her thighs. Chuck quickly discarded them on the floor and moved back in to pick up where he had left off.

Sarah felt his tongue on her and for a moment she thought she had stopped breathing.

"Chuck." She tried to protest, but her voice was barely audible. She had never allowed anyone to do this before. Sure she was no saint by any means, but she found this to be so incredibly intimate, she had never in all her years been able to allow someone to get this close. But she couldn't deny how incredible it felt either, and this wasn't just some guy, it was Chuck.

"Chuck." His name rolled off her tongue. She had the uncontrollable urge to thrust her pelvis in his direction. She needed him now, she was more than ready. "Chuck…please." Her breathing was labored. He looked up and locked eyes with her. "Please." She repeated.

Without hesitation, he shifted again; covering her body with his and in one swift motion he was inside her. She cried out in ecstasy as he thrust deep inside of her. His movements were faster, more urgent than usual and it was driving her crazy.

It didn't take Sarah long to match his movements and fall in synch with him. Her legs wrapped around him, enveloping him and pulling him even deeper inside her. He moaned with pleasure. "Mmmm…Sarah." He continued his rhythm with deeper thrusts.

"Oh God!" She cried out beneath him.

Chuck's stamina was incredible. Must be all those workouts Sarah thought just as she was about to climax. Her pleasure filled cries only encouraged him on. He slowed his pace until the waves passed over her. Minutes later they were back in the throes of passion. This pattern continued for some time and it wasn't until her fourth wave hit her, that Chuck was able to release as well.

He collapsed on top of her. Both of them completely spent, but unwilling to separate. He was still inside her when he rolled onto his side taking her with him. He continued to roll onto his back, pulling her on top of him. She kissed him on the chest before resting her cheek against him, blonde tresses matted to her forehead. He reached up and brushed them back leaving a kiss in their place. They laid motionless trying to bring their labored breathing under control, their hearts pounding as if they're about to explode right out of their chests.

Minutes pass before either of them are even able to speak. Chuck is the one to break the silence.

"Sarah…that…"

"I know." She replied.

Her head rested on his chest. He stroked her arm with his fingers.

"You're shivering." He noted.

She was visually shaking. Whether it was from the intense sexual encounter they had just shared, the incredibly strong emotions she was currently feeling, or the fact that she was cold, she didn't know, all she knew is she needed to be in his arms.

"I know…Just hold me, okay?" She buried her face into his chest and he instinctively tightened his grip on her.

"Always." He replied grazing the top of her head with his lips. "Always Sarah."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay, so this wasn't where I initially planned to end this chapter, but the more I read through it, I really thought it was the most appropriate ending point for the chapter. I hope the intimate scenes at the end weren't too over the top for you all. I am always worried about those scenes coming off as being smutty or trashy, so hopefully that wasn't the case.<strong>_

_**I know a lot of you have been waiting a couple of chapters now for the next part of Chuck's training to begin. I promise it will be showcased in the next chapter. That said I hoped you enjoyed this and I look forward to and appreciate any reviews you want to send my way. Thanks for reading.**_


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Alright one more chapter down. I want to thank all you have stuck with me throughout this story. I know it hasn't been easy going lately and updates have not been quick. I finally see the end in sight for this story and this chapter kind of leads up too all of that. Thank you all for your reviews, and PMs, they are what has kept this story alive, because it was not looking great for a while there. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own Chuck, so don't try to sue me.**

**Chapter 27**

She laid with her back to him. His chest pressed against her with his arm draped securely over her, holding her to him. Through the darkness, she struggled under his embrace to reach for her cell phone from the night stand, careful not to wake him.

After three attempts, she managed to maneuver herself close enough to reach it. She clicked on the button so the time would display on the screen. 4:19 it read. Sarah sighed as she tossed the phone down on the bed next to her and retreated back into his arms. Unconsciously, he tightened his grip on her when his body sensed movement on her end. She placed her hand on his as it wrapped around her and settled back into his embrace.

Despite her pure exhaustion, she was having a terrible time sleeping and she didn't know why. That was a lie, she knew exactly why. She didn't want to leave him, not now. In less than 8 hours she would be boarding a plane and having to say goodbye to him for God knows how long and to make matters worse, he was about to start the most intense, most dangerous part of his spy training yet and she wouldn't be there to get him through it. He had seemed to make his peace with that, but there was no way she would let him know how badly it was killing her inside. She had to be strong for the both of them.

Sarah fought her urges to turn in his arms, nuzzle his neck and rest her cheek against his chest. She opted to keep her back to him. She didn't want to risk him waking up and catching sight of any of the tears that kept escaping her. No, in front of him, she would utilize all her spy skills to put on a happy face. Well maybe not happy, they would be saying goodbye soon after all, but she would be strong for him, she would save the tears for her pillow in her hotel room in Paraguay.

* * *

><p>Morning had finally come. The two lovers had spent some time in bed lounging around this following an impromptu love making session once Chuck had woken up.<p>

They enjoyed a late breakfast and an even later shower. Now they both were finally dressed and ready to take on the day. Sarah's plane was scheduled to leave within an hour. She had spent the last 20 minutes on the phone with Sabrina going over mission specifics. She finally had to cut her off, but vowed they would finish the conversation on the privacy of the CIA jet that they would be boarding soon.

"Is she freaking out?" Chuck asked when Sarah had finally hung up the phone.

She gave him a look. "Maybe a little." She admitted.

A look of panic came over him.

"What's the matter?" Sarah asked, throwing some personal items into her purse.

"Is she going to be able to do this? She's your partner in all this, she needs to be able to have your back. If she can't do this, then maybe Casey should be going with you."

Sarah smiled. He was adorable when he was spiraling like this. "Chuck." She spoke his name softly as she took his hands into hers stepping in closer to him. "Stop worrying. Everything is going to be fine."

She pulled his arms around her waist and he clasped them behind her back. Her arms came up to circle his neck. "I'll always worry about you Sarah."

"You know, I am kind of good at what I do." She tried to put his mind at ease.

"You're the best." He replied.

"So trust me. Trust that it will be a successful mission and I'll be home before you know it."

"Of course I trust you. But I'm still going to worry."

Sarah smiled. "I know." She said. Leaning into to him, she placed a chaste kiss on his lips.

"Mmm…I'm going to miss those."

"Not for long." She reassured him.

He nodded to acknowledge what she was saying.

"I need to get going." she said.

"Let me grab my keys."

"Chuck." She reached out placing her hand on his arm to stop him. He turned to face her.

"I was thinking that maybe it would be better if we said our goodbyes here."

He looked at her like she had just grown a second head. "What?"

"It's just…There's going to be a lot of people at the airport."

"And?" he questioned, very confused at what she was getting at.

"Chuck, I'm leaving on a CIA jet. You know just as well as I do that we are not supposed to be out flaunting this relationship, not when work is involved. The wrong person sees you with me, sees you kissing me goodbye…you become a target."

"Sarah stop! Enough!"

She was taken by surprise by his brazen tone. Taking note of this by the look on her face, his tone softened and he took her hands into his.

"Baby there is nothing you can say that's going to stop me from taking you to the airport and seeing you off."

She sighed and gave him a slight nod of the head before leaning into him and burying her face into his chest. "I know." She mumbled, her words muffled against his shirt. "That's what I was afraid of."

* * *

><p>The airport was bustling as expected. Chuck carried Sarah's bag for her. He waited with her at an airport café where she was to meet up with Sabrina. It was as far as he was allowed to go without a boarding pass or a CIA badge.<p>

They sat at a corner table, their fingers intertwined as he whispered sweet nothings in her ear. She blushed and swatted playfully at him.

"Sarah!" Sabrina called to her from across the terminal. She quickened her pace as she approached, luggage in hand. Sarah glanced at her watch, it was time. Time to say goodbye to him, time to board the plane.

"I guess this is it." She said turning her attention to him. Their faces mere inches apart.

Chuck glanced down at the floor. "I hate this." He said.

She stroked his knee beneath the table.

"I'll be back before you know it." She tried to reassure him.

"It just feels like we're always saying goodbye." He said.

"I know."

"Call me when you land?"

"Of course!" she exclaimed. She leaned in and threw her arms around him pulling him in for a hug. "I don't know how often I'll get to call after that. And you may not be able to take any calls for a while." She continued.

"I know."

He pulled away slightly and their eyes met. "I love you." He said as he stroked her cheek with his fingertips.

"I love you too." She replied.

He leaned back in to kiss her. The kiss was long and sensual, sweet and tender. When their lips parted, her forehead fell against his.

"Promise you'll be careful." He spoke in hushed tones, only for her to hear.

"I promise."

His lips grazed her forehead.

"Chuck."

"Yeah?"

"I'm with you…No matter what. Don't forget that." She melted into him once again and he wrapped his arms around her.

He smiled. "I won't."

"You're stronger that you know Chuck."

He sighed heavily, taking note of Sabrina out of the corner of his eye, waiting patiently on the sidelines while they said their goodbyes. "Sabrina's waiting." He said.

"I know, but I don't want you to let go."

Chuck reluctantly pulled away. He ran his thumb over her bottom lip before leaning back in for one last kiss. "Call me later."

She nodded as the two stood from their chairs. He handed her her carryon bag and the two shared one last lingering look before she headed off to greet Sabrina. Chuck watched them from afar. They offered him a quick wave goodbye and he watched them as they made their way to their terminal and disappeared from his sight.

* * *

><p><em><strong>The next morning…<strong>_

Chuck woke from his restless sleep to the incessant sound of his alarm clock blaring at his bedside. He swatted at it in an attempt to quiet the beastly thing. It was just after 7:00 in the morning. He was scheduled to meet up with Casey around 9:00 to commence his training.

Chuck had taken the week off at the Buy More, to concentrate solely on his spy training with Casey. He was able to speak briefly with Sarah on the phone last night once she and Sabrina got settled in in Paraguay. She and Sabrina had a lot of files to go through and yet to set up a base of operation out of their hotel suite. It hadn't even been 24 hours but he missed her and he really missed not having her in his bed last night, in his arms. He had a lot on his mind, dreading what today would bring.

Chuck crawled out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. He took his time in the shower, delaying the inevitable no doubt. Once he was dressed he headed for the kitchen. Ellie and Devon were at the table drinking their morning coffee and enjoying their breakfast.

"Morning Chuck." Ellie said watching her brother as he headed straight for the coffee pot.

"Hey." He replied in his melancholy voice.

"No Sarah this morning?" Devon asked, peeking out from behind the morning paper.

"She had another business trip, left yesterday." He replied.

"Another one?" Ellie questioned.

"She never mentioned it on Saturday night." Devon chimed in.

"It was all very last minute." Chuck replied taking a swig from his coffee mug.

"She sure has a lot of business trips with this new job at the yogurt shop. Who would have thought the job would be so demanding." Ellie stated, more as an observation than anything.

"Yeah well it's an up and coming business. She is running the show over there. They have her taking a lot of management type trainings and things like that. Theirs rumors that they're thinking of expanding." Chuck couldn't believe how easily the lies were rolling off his tongue.

Ellie nodded approvingly as she reached for her own cup of coffee.

Chuck went about pouring himself a bowl of cereal. He was quick to get out of there, away from all their questions and observations. He quickly ate his bowl of cereal standing up. After rinsing his bowl and placing it in the dishwasher, he tossed his coffee into a travel mug and headed for the door. He hated lying to Ellie, but what choice did he have. He couldn't very well tell her that Sarah was off on a mission to bring down some big international arms dealer, now could he?

* * *

><p>Arturo Cruz was young, exceptionally rich and incredibly dangerous. If there was anything the two agents had learned from their research, it was that. Oh and that he had a weakness when it came to the ladies.<p>

Sabrina looked up from the monitors she was setting up when she heard Sarah re-enter their suite. Sarah was wearing a maid's uniform that she had snatched from the employee locker room housed on the basement level of the hotel.

"Well?" Sabrina asked, waiting on pins and needles for some kind of confirmation from her partner.

"It's done." She replied.

Having pinpointed Cruz's hotel room, Sarah was able to sneak in while he was out and plant several bugs, which would be connected to the monitoring device that Sabrina was working on setting up.

Sabrina turned her attention back to her task at hand. Sarah approached her from behind. "How's it coming?" she asked leaning over her shoulder.

Sabrina held up her finger to Sarah indicating she needed a little time. Seconds later, she flipped the switch and the monitor was up and running. It was a split screen, giving them views from 6 different hidden cameras. Sabrina flipped the switch on the device attached to it and the sound was activated. They were officially up and running. The two agents looked at each other and shared a smiled. Now to put their plan into action.

* * *

><p>The fumes began to close in around him. His vision was blurred, his eyes burning as he gasped for air. He fell to his knees. Crawling along the floor in the blackness he struggled to make his way through the warehouse, coughing all the way.<p>

"You're taking too long Bartowski!" He heard Casey barking in his ear piece. "Get the hell out of there before you pass out!"

The potent gasses were taking their toll on him. Chuck could feel himself getting weaker by the second. He descended lower towards the floor. He was now inching along on his stomach. Through the dense fog that surrounded him he could barely make out the door. He was still a good 50 feet away. It was getting harder to breath by the second. He wasn't going to make it. He just wasn't strong enough.

"Move it Bartowski!" Casey's voice came over his earpiece again.

Casey watched Chuck on the monitor in front of him. He had stopped moving and was lying flat on the floor, the poisonous gas proving to be just too much for him.

'Come on Chuck.' He chanted to himself. He really was rooting for him to get through this.

The fumes were getting thicker, more potent by the second.

"_You're stronger than you know Chuck." _Her words played over and over again in his head. He would be damned if he let her down. He could do this, no he WOULD do this. With everything he had, he mustered up all the strength her could and began moving once more. It was slow going at first, but the closer he got to the door, the faster his pace became.

Casey smiled and let out one of his signature grunts, indicating his approval as he watched the monitor intently. Within seconds Chuck was at the door. It took him another 30 seconds to jimmy the lock on it. The door swung open and he fell out into the clean, fresh air that awaited him. He gasped frantically as he crawled completely out of the warehouse and fell to the ground outside. He laid on his back, the sun beating down on him, he squinted as he struggled to get his breathing under control.

"Alright Shut her down." He heard Casey's voice once again over his earpiece. Casey's men immediately shut down the operation. The gas was turned off and the room cleared out within minutes.

It was another minute later when Casey finally arrived on the scene. He came to stand over Chuck, who's breathing was much more under control than it had been a few minutes prior. Casey squatted down next to him.

"Not bad Bartowski, I didn't think you were going to make it out, but you did."

Chuck looked up at him, through squinted eyes.

Casey looked down at his watch. "7 minutes 14 seconds. Not the greatest, but it was your first attempt and you made it out, so not bad."

Chuck just glared up at him.

"Come on, sit up." Casey extended a hand to him and pulled him to an upright position. "Let's get you decontaminated and changed. You have an hour to recover and then we go again. See if we can't shave some time off that, now that you have an idea of what to expect."

Chuck looked at him like he was crazy, but he was too spent to protest at the moment, so he resorted to giving Casey a dirty look. Casey just laughed it off.

"The day has only just begun Bartowski."

* * *

><p>Sarah was watching the monitors intently. She had been listening closely to the conversation over her earwig between her partner and the mark.<p>

Sabrina had made contact with Cruz down in the hotel bar and just as planned he took the bait. Sabrina was engaging in drinks with him at that very moment. She had been nervous about being the one to make the initial contact with him, but Sarah assured her she would do just fine. Besides, she needed to practice.

Sarah's attention shifted to the door when she heard the keycard activating the lock. Sabrina quickly entered and closed the door, locking it behind her, a look of relief plastered on her face.

Sarah smiled. She found it quite humorous actually. "Well?" she asked.

"We're having dinner tomorrow." Sabrina replied.

"Nice job Andrews."

The two sat and went over their mission specifics for the next half hour. Everything was falling into place for them. Sarah smiled. If all goes well, we'll wrap this up in a week she thought to herself.

"I'm going to jump in the shower." Sabrina announced standing up.

Finally putting the mission to rest for the day, Sarah's thoughts turned to Chuck. Once she heard the bathroom door close she pulled out her cell phone and quickly dialed his number. She frowned when it went right to voicemail. Sarah glanced at her watch and tried to figure the time difference in her head. She then dialed Casey's number. He answered on the third ring.

"Walker?" he spoke in his usual gruff voice into the phone.

"Hey Casey. I was trying to get ahold of Chuck but his phone went straight to voicemail. Is he done with training today?" she asked.

Casey grunted into the phone. "He's decontaminating right now, we just finished for the day."

"How did it go? How did he do?"

"Surprisingly well. He went through the chemical warfare scenario 5 times today."

"5 times! That's a bit much isn't it?"

"Relax Walker, he did fine."

"So he made it out okay?"

"Every time, even on the first run. Didn't have the greatest time with his first run through, but he didn't pass out and he managed to escape."

"So what was his best time?" She asked.

"Guess."

"I don't know…6 and half minutes."

Casey laughed on the other end of the phone. It wasn't something she heard very often from him.

"Try 3:44." He replied.

"What? Are you serious?"

"Walker, I don't joke about this stuff."

"That's incredible. My best time going through was 3:11."

"He surprised me too. The kid is more than meets the eye. He proved that to me today."

Sarah smiled. She was so incredibly proud of him. How she wished she was there with him, to tell him.

"Will you ask him to call me when he's finished?"

"Sure. How's everything with your mission. Andrews get her feet wet yet?"

"Yeah. It's going well. At this rate we may be back by the end of the week."

"Well, we'll see you when you get back."

"Bye Casey." Sarah hung up the phone, still reeling from the news. She couldn't believe how well Chuck did with his training today. He far exceeded her expectations. She couldn't wait to speak with him, tell him just how proud she was.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Later that night…<strong>_

"Thanks for the ride Casey." Chuck said as he and Casey walked through the courtyard to their respective apartments.

"Yeah. Be ready to go at 0'800 tomorrow."

"Sure." Chuck headed for his door."

"Oh and Bartowski." Casey called out, stopping him.

Chuck turned to face him.

"Yeah?"

"You may want to let your family know that you're going to be gone for a few days."

Chuck looked at him wearily. This meant he wasn't going home tomorrow night. Vivid images of Casey torturing him flashed in his head.

"Nice job today Bartowski." Without another word or waiting for a response, Casey slipped inside his apartment and closed the door.

Chuck gave his head a shake and exhaled deeply before turning the door knob. Ellie and Devon were cuddled together on the couch, with a bowl of popcorn nestled between them, watching a movie.

"Hey Chuck." Ellie greeted him, looking up from the tv screen.

"Hey."

"There's some leftover meatloaf and mash potatoes in the fridge if you're hungry." Ellie offered.

"Oh, Thanks, but I'm pretty beat and I have another early day tomorrow, so I think I'm going to call it a night."

"Alright." Ellie replied, as she snuggled back into her fiance's arms.

"Night Bro." Devon chimed in.

Chuck staggered into his bedroom, exhaustion overcoming him as he collapsed on the edge of his bed. He leaned down and untied his shoes. He kicked them off and pushed them aside. He laid back on his mattress and fluffed the pillow under his head. Reaching into his pocket he removed his cell phone. He hoped she was still up. After the day he had, all he wanted was to hear her voice. He hit his speed dial and held the phone to his ear.

Sarah laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling through the darkness. She couldn't sleep. Her attention turned to the empty side of the bed next to her. She had never yearned for his companionship more than she was right now. Her cell phone sounded off on the nightstand, shaking her from her thoughts. She was quick to retrieve it. Eager as she was she didn't even look at the screen to see who it was calling.

"Hello."

Chuck smiled at the sound of her voice. "Hey baby."

Her own mouth curled up into a smile. "Chuck! How are you?"

"Tired." He sighed contently. "God it's so good to hear your voice. I miss you."

"I miss you too." Sarah closed her eyes and reveled in the sound of his voice. "How did it go today?"

"It was hard…It was really hard Sarah."

Her smile faded, she could hear the pain in his voice as he spoke. "Casey told me you did great." She replied. Rolling onto her side she propped her pillow up under her hugging it to her body. She couldn't help but think what a poor substitute it was for his warm body.

"Yeah, he said I did pretty well… but…God Sarah, I thought I was going to die in there. I couldn't breathe, I could barely see anything. My eyes are still burning and I can still taste that horrible taste of chemicals in my mouth."

"It'll go away Chuck. You'll feel so much better in the morning."

"I'd feel so much better if you were here." He chimed in.

Sarah's heart sunk. "I wish I was."

"Casey says not to plan on going home tomorrow night. I'm assuming that means I won't get to speak with you either."

Sarah sighed. "No, you won't."

"Sarah how much worse is it going to get? Today was…I just don't know if I can take much more than that."

"Chuck you can do this. Getting through everything you did today proves that. The rest of the training isn't easy and it's really intense. I'm not going to lie to you Chuck, it's going to be painful. Not necessarily more so than what you experienced today, but…well, it's a different kind of pain Chuck."

"I don't know if that makes me feel any better Sarah."

'"I know. I'm sorry, I just….I really wish I could be there for you right now."

"I know. Look I'm fine, I don't mean to make you feel bad because you have to work….I just…I just miss you a whole lot. I miss seeing your face and hearing your voice."

"And I miss being in your arms. My bed feels so empty without you."

Chuck grinned. "Mine too."

"Well, on a happy note, the mission here is going well. Everything seems to be going according to plan. If things continue at this rate we may just be home within a week after all."

"Really?" his face lit up at this news.

"Mmhmm."

"Baby that's great."

"I know. I can't wait to get back. And just think how much closer you'll be to becoming a spy when I do. Once you've completed this last leg of the training Chuck, I really think that Director Johnson and General Beckman will make it official. Issue you your papers."

"You think so?"

"I do. Everything after this, you'll learn in the field. Your training has been unorthodox from the beginning. There's not much more we can teach you in a classroom setting. They're going to want you in the field."

"I hope so. With all these hours I have been putting in training, it's just…it's getting harder lying to Ellie all the time. I think it might be time for me to move out."

"Really? I know it's hard…the lying, but just remember, you're doing it to protect her… Where would you move to?"

Chuck exhaled. "Well, since we're talking about it, I was actually wondering what your thoughts were on maybe moving in together… I heard there might be an apartment becoming available here in the complex." Chuck closed his eyes and gritted his teeth together as he waited for her response.

Chuck was met with silence.

"Sarah?"

"Huh?"

"You're freaking out aren't you? It's too fast isn't it?"

"What?...No!...No, I was just thinking…." The smile stretched across her face. "I was just thinking… I would really like that."

"Really?" He could hardly contain his excitement.

"Really." She replied, matching his enthusiasm.

"Okay then…So when you get home, we can sit down and discuss it and go from there."

"Chuck, I'm saying yes, there won't be much to discuss. I want to move in with you."

"You do?"

"Of course I do. I love you Chuck. I want to spend every waking moment with you. And my sleeping moments too." She smiled. "I want to go to bed lying next to you every night and wake up in your arms every morning."

"I love you too Sarah. You have no idea how happy I am to hear this. I really thought that the whole idea might freak you out."

Sarah laughed, "Well, a couple of weeks ago, it probably would have. Chuck it's hard enough being away from you right now for this mission. When I get back to L.A., if I don't have to be away from you…then I don't want to."

"Me either." He beamed.

She sighed contently, she couldn't believe how much better just the sound of his voice could make her feel.

"I should probably let you get some sleep." He said. "I know how late it is there. I want you well rested for your mission."

"Well, maybe I'm not ready to say goodbye yet." She replied.

Chuck smiled. "Well, what are you ready for Agent Walker?"

A mischievious smile stretched across her face as she contemplated his question.

* * *

><p>Chuck was up, showered and dressed by 7:30. Ellie and Devon had already left for the day. They were both working double shifts, which pleased Chuck because it meant that it bought him some time, at least 2days anyway. When they return home from work, they will no doubt be tired and spend the majority of their day catching up on sleep. He would be the farthest thing from their minds.<p>

Chuck finished wolfing down an elaborate pancake breakfast. He figured he would go all out since he didn't know if and when he would be eating again anytime soon.

Before heading out the door, he threw his note to Ellie down and the table. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed Sarah's number. He wasn't surprised when it went straight to her voicemail. He left her a quick message before grabbing the rest of his belongings and heading out the door.

Chuck didn't even make it halfway across the courtyard, when he was grabbed from behind, a blunt object striking him in the head. Before he had time to react, the darkness overtook him as he slumped to the ground.

* * *

><p><em><strong>One more chapter down and not much left to go. I hope you enjoyed the chapter I look forward to and appreciate any reviews you want to throw my way. Thanks for reading.<strong>__**e mhe **_


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Another chapter and in only a week's time! I can hardly believe it myself. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one. I'm not really sure if it's ready or not, but I have made revision after revision on it and honestly I just can't stand the thought of going over it one more time. Anyway, I hope you like it. As always, than you to all of you who have been reading and reviewing and who have continued to stick with this story. I really appreciate it.**

**Chapter 28**

His head was throbbing. His vision still blurred and obscured by the fresh blood that was dripping from his forehead when he finally came to. He found himself tied to a chair in the middle of a small empty room. The eyes of his two assailants on him, neither of whom Chuck recognized. He jerked his body pulling at his restraints. His hands were bound securely behind him, the ropes cutting into his flesh with every movement.

"Relax Mr. Bartowski. You will only make this harder on yourself." came the voice of one his captors as he stepped into the light. Chuck immediately flashed on him. He was CIA, but from what Chuck was able to learn from the intersect; this guy was a straight arrow?

"I'm sure you know why you're here, Mr. Bartowski." the other man stepped into the light beside his partner. Again Chuck flashed, another CIA agent with a clean record. It didn't make sense, why would they be after him?

The first man stepped closer to him yielding a metal pipe in his hand, tapping it repeatedly against the palm of his free hand. "Tell us everything you know about the intersect."

Chuck swallowed the lump in his throat as his eyes focused on the pipe and then he realized what was happening. This was his training. Or at least he hoped it was.

Casey watched from his monitors as the two agents grilled Chuck on what he knew about the intersect and where they could find it. Beckman and Johnson had decided to take chuck by surprise. They made it clear to Casey that he would oversee this leg of the training but they didn't want him to be the one to interrogate Chuck or inflict any pain on him. They wanted a neutral party, someone Chuck didn't know and who didn't know him. He would have no idea how far these agents would take things with him. They had no personal attachment to him. They wanted to see if he would crack under the pressure.

Casey rubbed at his temples. It had been 4 hours since Chuck was brought in. He had been questioned for hours, threatened numerous times and even sustained several blows from the agents interrogating him yet he was holding up. He refused to crack. The men had left him half an hour ago to sit and stew for a while.

Casey watched him closely as he tried to free himself from his restraints. It was obvious, the man was beat. The ropes were digging deeper and deeper into his flesh, drawing blood along the way. He had finally decided to give it a rest.

"Major Casey how would you like us to proceed?" came the voice of one of the agents over Casey's ear wig.

"Let him wait it out another half hour, then you can start up again."

"Roger that." came the reply.

* * *

><p>Sarah watched from across the pool as Arturo Cruz placed his hand on Sabrina's bare leg. She could see her tensing up as he moved his hand suggestively over her.<p>

"Relax Sabrina." Sarah instructed over her ear piece.

Sabrina exhaled and tried her best to let the tension go from her body. She never had to get this close, this intimate with a mark before. Sure, they learned all this stuff at the academy, but it's a lot different when you're in a classroom.

"My dear I'm sorry I had to cancel for dinner tonight, duty calls. You understand?" Cruz apologized.

"Oh of course, I understand completely." Sabrina replied.

"I have to say though I am thrilled that you were able to join me for some time at the pool this afternoon."

"Well I am thrilled to have received the invitation." Sabrina nearly choked on her words.

He smiled at her as he eyed her bikini clad body up and down appreciatively.

"Yes well, I would be a fool not to take this opportunity to spend time with such a beautiful creature as yourself."

'Creature? Seriously? Ugh this guy is a pig.' Sabrina thought to herself. She discreetly reached for her towel and pulled it up over her.

"Are you cold?" Arturo asked, not missing a beat. He looked like he was about to pounce on her. That was all she needed, him offering to warm her up. She could see it now.

"Oh, no, not really, I was just...trying to get some cover from the sun...sensitive skin you know. I wouldn't want to burn."

"Ah, not to worry my dear. I have some sunscreen right here. SPF of 75. I too am quite sensitive to the sun. Allow me to apply some to your back." he sat up in his lounge chair and reached for the bottle.

'Oh crap!' Sabrina sat upright in her own lounge chair. "Okay." she replied hesitantly, turning so that her back was to him.

Sarah scrunched her nose up at the sight before her as she watched Cruz begin applying the lotion to Sabrina's back. She did not envy her one bit. She couldn't help but feel sorry for her though. She had been on the receiving end in that very same scenario all too many times.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" the large, burly man asked interrupting Sarah's thoughts.

She tipped up her sunglasses up to look at him.

"What?" she asked.

He pointed to the empty lounge chair next to her. He didn't wait for her to reply before sitting down.

"I'm Marcos and you are one gorgeous specimen. How about a drink?"

Sarah pulled her bathing suit cover around her in disgust at his audacity.

"Actually, that seat IS taken, and I suggest you leave before my boyfriend returns!" she snapped back.

"Oh come on sweetheart. I've been watching you for a good 20 minutes now. No one is sitting here. So how about that drink? You look like maybe you could use some cooling off." He said ogling her body with a perverted grin plastered on his face.

Sarah smiled in response to him and sat upright in her chaise. "A drink huh?" she ran her hands over his that clutched his glass. She swiftly removed the beverage from his hands and slowly brought it to her lips. "Don't mind if I do." she said just before taking the class and dumping its contents all over his head.

Marcos jumped to his feet in shock. "What the hell did you do that for?"

Sarah laid back on her chaise and pulled her sunglasses back down over her eyes.

The man reached for a towel that was draped over the back of the lounge chair he had settled down on and walked off heated as he wiped away the cold beverage that was dripping from his head and down his torso.

Sarah worked hard to stifle her laughter as she watched him leave in a huff.

* * *

><p>His body was suspended in the air. They had strung him up nearly five hours ago and delivered lash after lash across his back. He had completely lost all feeling in his arms. It was nearing 16 hours now. 16 hours that he had been tortured and grilled incisively, yet he refused to crack. 16 hours that he had gone without food or water. The pain was excruciating and he didn't know how much more he could take. It was all just too much; he wasn't cut out for this.<p>

'_You're stronger than you know Chuck.'_ Her words echoed in his head. _'__I'm with you…No matter what. Don't forget that.'_

"Sarah." Her name escaped him as he struggled to remain conscious. His eyes shot open when he heard the footsteps. 'Oh God! Please no, no more.' He thought to himself as he tried to prepare for what was sure to follow.

The door flung open and the large figure entered. Everything was a blur to Chuck. He was trying to block out the pain. He had nearly cracked hours ago when the men had mentioned his sister, the doctor. They knew everything about her. Her name, address, where she worked. Chuck remained strong through it all.

Without any warning, the man flicked a switch and Chuck was dropped to the floor.

"AHHHH!" he landed in a heap on the floor. He cowered when he felt the man standing above him.

"Chuck."

Hearing his name, he strained to focus on the man standing over him. After a few seconds things began to come into focus for him.

"C…Casey?"

"Here, sit up." Casey reached out and helped him into an upright position. He squatted down beside him. "Drink this." He said offering him a canteen filled with ice cold water.

Chuck hesitantly took it from him.

"Drink it." Casey ordered again. "It's not going to do you any good if you die from dehydration."

Chuck took a large swig from the canteen and instantly began to choke. "Easy now." Casey instructed. "Slowly."

Chuck drank again, pacing himself this time. Once he had some fluids in his system he was a little more coherent. He looked up to Casey with questioning eyes.

"You're doing great Bartowski, hang in there, you can do this."

"No!...I can't Casey. I don't know how much more I can take. I'm not a spy. Can't we just stop now?"

"So that's it huh? The going gets tough and you're ready to split? What would Walker think?"

Chuck's eyes met Casey's. The mention of Sarah lighting a fire beneath him.

"She doesn't care if I'm a spy or not Casey. She never wanted this anyway!" he spat back.

Casey grinned. "But you did. You care. You want to prove yourself. Not just to her, but to yourself. You want to prove that you're good enough for her."

Chuck's gaze fell to the floor. He couldn't stand to look at him anymore. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Casey was right. He wanted to show everyone and himself that he had a purpose. To prove that he was worthy, that he was good enough for someone so out of his league, someone so unattainable like the great Sarah Walker. Sure she had told him numerous times that she didn't care if he was a spy, that wasn't who she fell in love with. In fact, she had been against the whole idea of him becoming a spy since the very beginning. She didn't want him risking his life, putting himself in danger. Despite that she stood by his decision to do this and here he was letting her down.

"You've come so far…Don't give up now Chuck."

Chuck contemplated Casey's words. He was right, how could he give up now? He wasn't going to let her down. He wasn't going to let himself down. He didn't go through all of this for nothing.

Chuck nodded his head. "Okay…You're right." He took another swig from the canteen in his hand.

"Of course I'm right."

"I can do this." Chuck said, as if trying to convince himself. "I WILL do this."

Casey gave him one of his satisfied grunts "Rest up Bartowski, get recharged before your friends return…Drink that up." Casey stood up and made his way for the door. Chuck watched as he left, leaving him there alone in the cold dark, room, with no one to answer to but himself.

* * *

><p>Sarah sat crossed leg on top of her bed going over their latest Intel on Arturo Cruz. Sabrina was across the room working on the computer. They had just given Director Johnson their report for the day. Tomorrow was the day they were hoping to take him down. Sabrina had spent the last few days cozying up to Cruz. He had invited her onto his yacht tomorrow evening where his latest deal was expected to go down. And they would be there to stop it and apprehend Cruz and his men.<p>

Sarah tossed down her file in frustration. She ran her hands through her hair.

"You okay?" Sabrina asked looking up from the computer screen in front of her. She stood up and made her way over to Sarah's bed and sat down on the edge of it. "Sarah?"

"I'm fine. I just I want to wrap this up and get home." She replied.

"Have you heard any news on Chuck?" Sabrina asked, knowing that was what had her partner so irritated.

Sarah sighed heavily. It had been four days since she had spoken to him last. He had left her a voicemail that last morning before he started his latest training. She had been playing it over and over again, just to hear the sound of his voice.

"I spoke with Casey this morning. He said Chuck's been a real trooper. It's been four days and he hasn't cracked yet."

Sabrina smiled. "That's great. I knew he would do fine. When are they going to wrap it up?"

Sarah sighed. "I don't know…Soon I hope."

"You really miss him." It was more of a statement than a question.

Sarah looked up at Sabrina. She was at a loss for words. This week was taking its toll on her. She could deal with being away from Chuck for a mission, but going so long without talking to him, knowing what he was going through. She was finding it to be all a little overwhelming.

She nodded in response to Sabrina.

"We'll be done here in no time Sarah…heading home. You'll be able to see him soon." She tried her best to put her partner's mind at ease.

"Sure." Sarah replied. "Look, I'm tired, I'm not getting anywhere with all this right now." She said gesturing to all the files sprawled out on her bed. "You mind if we call it a night?"

"No, that's fine. I'm kind of tired myself." Sabrina stood up and made her way back over to the computer. She saved the files she was working on and shut it down before heading into her bedroom. "I'll see you in the morning." She called out before closing her door.

"See you in the morning." Sarah replied as she gathered the last of her files into one neat pile. Sarah pulled back the covers on her bed and hopped in. She was exhausted, physically and emotionally. She quickly checked her cell phone. No missed calls, no messages. She dialed her voicemail and held the phone to her ear as the message played back.

'_**Hey Sarah. I know you're busy and all, I'm just…I'm heading out to meet up with Casey and since I have no idea when we'll speak again, I just wanted to leave you a quick message and let you know how much I miss you and that I'm thinking about you and counting the seconds until I see you again. Please be safe. I love you…bye.' **_

Just the sound of his voice seemed to put her mind at ease. She replayed the message several more times before finally succumbing to a restless slumber.

* * *

><p>Casey cringed as he watched his men dispense several more blows to the prisoner. Chuck was back in the chair again, tied and secured tightly to it. He slumped over, barely conscious. Casey looked at his watch, counting down the seconds. He breathed a huge sigh of relief when the hand struck twelve.<p>

"Alright guys, I'm calling it. Stand down." he spoke into his mouth piece.

The agents immediately backed off, breathing their own sigh of relief. They had spent the past 96 hours interrogating and inflicting bodily harm on one Chuck Bartowski, not by choice, they were simply carrying out their orders.

One of the agents moved in and cut the restraints from around Chuck's wrists, followed by his ankles, allowing them to fall free. Chuck's limp body fell to the floor.

"I'm sending in the medic." Casey's voice came over their ear pieces once again.

Casey smiled. "The kid actually did it." he said to himself. He had had his doubts early on that Chuck would be able to complete such grueling training, but he had proved him wrong time and time again. Casey felt something that he rarely did, Pride. He was genuinely proud of Chuck. There was no denying it; the kid had come along way.

* * *

><p>"The agents are in place Sabrina." Sarah spoke to her over her ear piece. "Cruz just went down below with his buyer." Sarah moved about the yacht mingling with Cruz's other party goers.<p>

Sabrina gave her a nod from across the deck before following Cruz downstairs to get into position. She had planted a bug on him moments earlier when he was getting a little too hands on with her.

"I can have a shipment out to you as early as next week." Cruz informed his buyer. "Now, let's talk payment."

The buyer propped his black suitcase up on the table in front of Cruz and opened it to reveal a rather hefty sum of money. "It's all there." he said.

Arturo smiled with appreciation as he examined the contents of the case.

"Walker are you getting this?" Agent Andrews spoke into her mike

"Yeah. Get ready, we're moving in."

* * *

><p>Chuck sat upright on the exam table while the doctor wrapped his broken ribs, securing the bandages and tape tightly. Chuck winced in pain.<p>

"Ahhh!"

Despite the intense pain he was feeling, he felt a million times better, now that he was cleaned up, got some more fluids into his system and knew that the training was officially over. He had dropped nearly10 pounds in the past 4 days. He was already on his 3rd bag of IV fluids.

"You need to get some rest, no big movements. Give these ribs some time to heal." The doctor instructed. "I'll be back with something for the pain." he said making his way to the door. The doctor exited the room leaving Chuck alone with Casey in the infirmary.

"You did good Chuck. You did real good." Casey gave him a nod and an appreciative grunt. One Chuck had never heard before.

The makings of a smile formed on his face. "How's Sarah?" he asked. "Her mission?"

"She called earlier to see how you were holding up. She was going to be out of contact for the rest of the night. You won't hear from her until tomorrow."

"She was okay though?"

Casey shook his head. "She's fine Bartowski. Come on, get dressed. After the doctor gives you some pain meds, I'll take you to get something to eat."

Chuck reached for the clean sweatshirt that Casey had brought him and slowly proceeded to pull it over his head, trying his best not to make any swift movements.

* * *

><p>After grabbing some food with Casey, deciding he was in no shape to be showing up at his own place and have to deal with Ellie and Devon's incessant questioning regarding his appearance, Chuck opted to stay at Sarah's hotel room for the night.<p>

He made his way into the bathroom and stripped down to his boxers. Chuck glanced at his face in the mirror. The agents he trained with had actually done a pretty good job of sparing his face, with the exception of a few gashes and bruises, no doubt so as not to raise suspicions with his family, but the rest of him felt like he had been hit by a semi- truck.

Chuck examined the bandages wrapped tightly around his torso. His arms and legs badly bruised. Turning on the faucet, Chuck lapped up a handful of water in his hands and splashed it over his face. The cool water felt refreshing against his course skin. He grabbed a fresh towel and dried his face before proceeding to brush his teeth.

He slowly staggered back into the bedroom. The bed was a welcomed sight. He carefully slipped under the covers. Memories of the last time he had been in that bed flashed through his mind. It had been 6 days ago, the morning he and Sarah had parted ways.

Chuck reached for his cell phone. Casey said he probably wouldn't be able to reach her tonight, but he had to try. It had been too long since he had heard her voice. He held the phone to his ear and waited. After the third ring it went straight to her voicemail.

"Hey Sarah. I just...I wanted to let you know that I did it. I completed the training...I..." he was at a loss for words; the past four days had really taken its toll on him. "I really just want to hear your voice...Call me when you can...I love you." He reluctantly disconnected the call and placed his phone on the nightstand beside him in case it rang during the night.

Chuck reached for his bottle of painkillers, also on the bedside and the bottle of water he had placed there earlier. He popped one of the pills in his mouth and chased it with a gulp of water. It was only a matter of minutes before he succumbed to a much needed, deep, drug induced slumber.

* * *

><p>"You alright?" Sarah asked as she made her way over to her partner who was tending to her bleeding lip.<p>

"Yeah. Occupational hazard right?" she chuckled.

"Right." Sarah replied.

Two CIA agents moved past them toting along Arturo Cruz and his latest buyer; their arms cuffed securely behind their backs. Cruz scrunched up his nose at Sabrina and gave her a deadly glare.

"Director Johnson is waiting on our report. You up to it?" Sarah asked.

Sabrina gave her a nod. "A spy's job is never done." she joked.

Sarah smiled. "Nice job tonight Andrews."

"Thanks. You too."

The two made their way up to the deck. "So, this means we get to head back to L.A. soon right?" Sabrina asked with a knowing smile.

The thought of home and what was waiting for her there brought a smile to Sarah's face. "Yeah." the grin grew by the second. The only thought running through her mind was him and she couldn't wait to be with him again.

It was hours later that the two agents made their way back to their hotel room. Director Johnson had asked for their reports tonight. He wanted this mission wrapped up. Sarah was just faxing him the last page of her report when her thoughts drifted to Chuck. He should be finished with his training by now; surely Casey wasn't still holding him. Realizing she had left her phone at the hotel room tonight, she quickly moved to retrieve it from her bag.

She had 1 missed call and 1 voice message. Her smile stretched ear to ear when he saw that they were from him. She quickly called her voicemail and punched in her password and waited. The sound of his voice was like music to her ears.

**_"Hey Sarah. I just...I wanted to let you know that I did it. I completed the training...I...I really just want to hear your voice...Call me when you can...I love you." _**

He sounded exhausted, defeated even. Sarah looked at the time, it would be close to 4 am in California, surely he would be sleeping at this hour. Oh what the hell she thought, if anything she could at least leave him a voice message for when he woke up. She dialed his number and could hardly contain her excitement as she waited for it to pick up. She wasn't surprised when it went into his voice mail on the fourth ring.

"Hey it's me. I'm sorry I missed your call earlier, Sabrina and I were working and I left my phone in the hotel room…I know you're probably sleeping, but I just wanted to leave you a message and tell you how proud I am of you. I cannot wait to see you. We wrapped things up here tonight so we are scheduled to fly back home early in the morning. So I will see you soon… I love you Chuck."

Satisfied with her message, Sarah disconnected the call. She was so caught up in her own little world that she was completely oblivious to Sabrina entering the room.

"Someone's in a good mood." she commented.

"Huh?" Sarah flinched, startled by her partner's interruption.

Sabrina laughed. "I take it you spoke with Chuck."

Sarah's expression changed to one of frustration. "No, not exactly. He left me a message. He completed the training today."

Sabrina's eyes lit up. "That's great!"

"Yeah it is. He sounded pretty beat though. It's late there, I'm sure he's sleeping. I just left him a message letting him know we would be heading home tomorrow."

"Well, I'm pretty beat myself. I think I'm going to turn in as well. You better get some sleep too; you'll want your beauty sleep so you look your best when you see him tomorrow."

Sarah suddenly became very self-conscious. She ran her fingers through her hair trying to straighten it up. "Why do I look bad?" she asked in a serious tone.

Sabrina laughed. "No, you look fine. It was a joke Walker. You're seriously nervous about seeing him aren't you?" she asked, her laughter subsiding.

"No, I just...well I want to look good for him." She said shyly. She wasn't used to talking openly like this with another girl.

"Sarah, when have you ever not looked good? You'll look great. Besides, I've seen the way that boy looks at you, you could be covered in garbage and I'm pretty sure he would still be looking at you like you were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen."

"Really?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah, it's kind of disgusting." She said with a laugh, eliciting a smile from Sarah as well. "Get some sleep." she said as she made her way towards her bedroom.

With a smile plastered on her face once again, Sarah proceeded to pick up her files. It was time for her to call it a night as well. She was looking forward to having some sweet dreams tonight as thoughts of her reunion tomorrow with the man she loved entered her mind.

* * *

><p>Chuck's eyes fluttered open. The bright sunlight piercing through the window. He squinted momentarily trying to block out the blinding light before attempting to open his eyes again. He tried opening them a second time, this time slowly allowing his eyes to adjust to the light. He yawned and attempted to stretch. He had nearly forgotten how badly his body was hurting. He felt as if he had just been run over by train.<p>

Chuck groaned as he shifted his attention to the clock. He had to do a double take when he saw the time. It was nearly 1pm. 'Damn those painkillers really do the job.' He thought to himself.

Chuck reached for his cell phone off the night stand and began scrolling through the menu. Sure enough he had 4 missed calls and 3 messages.

He smiled when he saw that his first missed call was from Sarah, followed by one from Ellie and two from Casey.

Chuck held the phone to his ear as he listened to the messages. The first was from Sarah.

**'_Hey it's me. I'm sorry I missed your call earlier, Sabrina and I were working and I left my phone in the hotel room…I know you're probably sleeping, but I just wanted to leave you a message and tell you how proud I am of you. I cannot wait to see you. We wrapped things up here tonight so we are scheduled to fly back home early in the morning. So I will see you soon… I love you Chuck.'_**

His smile grew. She would be home soon and he couldn't wait.

Chuck's next message was from Ellie.

**'_Hi Chuck. We haven't heard from you a few days. I know we have all been working crazy shifts, I guess our paths just keep crossing. Anyway, I just thought I'd check in with you. Call me.'_**

Chuck took a mental note. 'Call Ellie today.'

Chuck's third message was from Casey.

**'_Bartowski where are you? I've been trying to get a hold of you. Call me back.'_**

Chuck's smile turned to a frown. Casey seemed upset. Chuck moved to sit upright in the bed.

"Ahhh!" he groaned making the transition to a sitting position. He flung his legs over the side of the bed and rested them on the floor as he sat himself upright.

He was just about to punch in Casey's number on the phone when he was startled by a pounding on the door.

"Chuck?" Casey bellowed from the other side of the door.

Chuck stood up and moved to answer it. The pounding continued.

When he opened the door and Casey came barreling in.

"I've been trying to get a hold of you. Why didn't you call me?" he roared.

"I was just about to." Chuck replied. I just woke up. Those painkillers did a number on me last night….What's the matter?" he asked, eyeing him skeptically. "Did something happen?"

Casey gave Chuck a once over. "Throw some clothes on we have to conference in with Beckman and Johnson." Casey moved over to Sarah's computer and began setting up the conference call. Chuck tossed on his sweat pants and the sweat shirt form the night before. He had just gotten the shirt over his head and pulled it down when Beckman and Johnson appeared on the monitor.

"General. Director." Casey greeted them. Chuck moved in behind him.

"Major Casey. Chuck." Beckman returned the greeting.

"What's this all about?" Chuck asked still rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"First of all Chuck, congratulations on completing your training with Casey this week, it was no easy task." General Beckman spoke up.

"Thank you." Chuck replied.

"Now." Her voice turned more formal, more authoritative. "As you both are well aware. Agents Walker and Andrews completed their mission last night in Paraguay….or so we thought." Her voice softened.

"What do you mean?" Chuck questioned, moving in even closer to the monitor.

Director Johnson stepped up front and center. "Walker and Andrews were scheduled to take off at 0'800 this morning from Paraguay. Walker called in this morning. They had checked out of their hotel room by 0'700 and were en route to the airport."

"And?" Casey questioned.

"And, they never made it there."

"What do you mean they never made it there?" Chuck could feel the panic setting in. "Where are they?"

"We don't know Chuck." Beckman replied.

And in a matter of seconds he could feel his heart sink.

Beckman turned her attention to an equally shocked and speechless Casey.

"Casey, Chuck, I want to two in the air within an hour. You're headed to Paraguay."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay, so we really are nearing the end here. I am thinking one maybe two more <strong>__**chapters to go. I hope you don't mind that I didn't get too detailed with Sarah and Sabrina's mission in Paraguay, it wasn't meant to be the main focus of the story. I really wanted it to focus more on Chuck and his training and his and Sarah's separation during that time. I hope you all enjoyed it. I look forward to any reviews you would like to leave.**_


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Okay, so I realize it's been a long time since my last update, and there are no real excuses so I'm not even going to try to come up with one. Anyway, here we go with Chapter 29. I actually split it up and cut a couple pages off at the end that I am starting chapter 30 with. I initially thought I would be wrapping it up in this chapter but it's going to go a little longer. I didn't want to draw the chapter out any longer because if I did that who knows when I would be getting it posted. This way I can give you a little something.**

**Also, I know some of you who have reviewed and sent PMs have expressed some concern over what Chuck might be capable of with his injuries. I have been doing some research as far as the mentioned injuries go and don't intend to get crazy with any physical stuff coming up, but please as you read, keep in mind, this is the world of Chuck where a man has a computer filled with all of the governments secrets in his head, so maybe going on a mission with some broken ribs and some bruises and what not, isn't too far-fetched after all. That said, I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

**Chapter 29**

She tried to focus her eyes as she came too. It took several minutes for everything to finally come into focus. Her head was throbbing. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly to try to dull the pain. Her whole body tingled and she had no idea where she was.

Slowly the fog began to lift and then she remembered, the tiny dart striking her in her neck. Her hand quickly moved to the spot on her neck. She could feel a small bump, an impression made where it had pierced her skin and the area was sensitive to her touch.

She recalled checking out of the hotel room that morning. She and Sabrina were just about to get into the car that would be taking them to the airport. She remembered hearing Sabrina gasp. She looked up to see the tranq dart sticking out of her partner's shoulder. Before she had time to react, she felt the sting in her neck and then she was consumed by darkness.

'Sabrina!' Her thoughts quickly returned to her partner. Sarah bolted upright on the cot where she had been lying unconscious for God knows how long. She quickly took in her surroundings. She found herself in a small dingy room, it was relatively dark being that there were no windows, just a door with a small window near the top that offered very little light, and a single light bulb fixture fixed to the ceiling. Across from her on a matching cot, she saw Sabrina lying unconscious.

Sarah jumped up and groggily made her way over to her. She knelt down beside her cot and gave her a shake.

"Sabrina?" she found her voice. "Sabrina?" she repeated when she got no response.

Sabrina began to shift slowly. "Ahh….my head." She said bringing her hands up to her temples.

"Sabrina…wake up." Sarah goaded her.

Her eyes shot open and worked to adjust to the lighting in the room. She immediately went into panic mode and jolted upright. "Sarah?...What happened?...Where are we?"

"I don't know. We were traqued when we were leaving the hotel. I didn't see anyone though. I just woke up. I have no idea where we are."

"Cruz? You think this was his doing?"

Sarah shook her head. "I don't know. I don't see how, we dismantled his entire operation. There was no one left."

"That we know of." Sabrina chimed in.

Sarah stood up and moved to the door. She tried to open it, but just as she suspected, it was locked. She stood on the tips of her toes to peer out the small window at the top but it was pointless. She couldn't see a thing.

The door had a special electrical panel to the side of it. Not your ordinary lock, it was clearly high tech.

"Sarah."

She turned to face Sabrina. Sabrina gestured to the camera attached to the ceiling in the corner of the room, the red light blinking, indicating that it was live.

Sarah walked back over to Sabrina and sat down on the cot next to her.

"Now what?" Sabrina asked, looking to her partner for guidance.

Sarah sighed heavily. "I'm not sure yet." She replied. "I'm not sure."

* * *

><p>"Why don't you take one of your painkillers? You can sleep it off on the plane." Casey suggested as he and Chuck boarded the plane. It was obvious to him how much pain Chuck was in.<p>

"I'm not taking a painkiller now Casey. Those things knock me out cold. I'll be out for hours."

"You won't be any help to them if you can't even function."

"Well I won't be able to function if I'm unconscious." Chuck snapped back at him.

Casey grunted in response. It was no use arguing with him. When Chuck was passionate about something he didn't let up. If Casey didn't know that before, he knew it now, after having seen Chuck go through what he did this past week.

Chuck settled in uncomfortably in his seat. He gazed out the window as the plane prepared for takeoff. He didn't feel like arguing with Casey right now. His thoughts were too preoccupied with her. He was terrified by thoughts of what might be happening to her or God forbid already happened to her. Having just experienced first-hand the kind of torture she could be undergoing this very minute, he choked back the bile that rose in his throat. He closed his eyes and said a silent prayer for her and for Sabrina. That they would find them both and bring them home safely.

Chuck and Casey spent the first few hours of their flight going over the Intel they had acquired from Director Johnson, outlining Sarah and Sabrina's mission specifics. They were also able to obtain surveillance footage from the hotel where the two had been staying. Scrolling through the footage they were able to observe the girls checking out at the front desk. Checking the time frame they switched to the outside footage that would correlate with their check out time. The two were seen exiting the hotel and heading to their car parked out front. Just as they opened the doors on their respective sides of the vehicle they were both hit by tranq darts.

Chuck gasped as he watched the scene unfold. Two men in suits rushed in and ushered them into the backseat of the car. One of the men jumped in the back seat with them, while the other jumped in the front passenger seat and the driver, sped off. They didn't get a very good look at either of the men or the driver, so Chuck was unable to flash on them. However, they were able to zoom in on the car and get a plate number which they were already working on tracing.

"Listen Chuck, I know you're all hell bent on kicking some ass right now, but you leave that to me. You are in no shape to be in any kind of physical combat with anyone. The last thing you need to do is puncture a lung or something with those broken ribs. You're going to need to be the brains of this operation, I'll be the brawn."

"Casey, I'll do what I need to do. If anyone has hurt Sarah…"

"Don't get distracted Bartowski, because it's Sarah. You need to put your personal feelings aside, think with a clear head. Before you two hooked up, you used to be pretty smart. You need to use your brains on this one."

Chuck contemplated what Casey was saying. As much as he hated to admit it, Casey was right. He had to keep a clear mind… for Sarah's sake.

* * *

><p>It had been hours or so it seemed, since they had woken up, but both agents were still feeling the side effects from the drugs in their systems.<p>

"How long do you think we've been here?" Sabrina asked Sarah who was pacing the small room as she tried to formulate some sort of plan.

"I'm not sure. I don't know what kind of tranq darts they used on us. We could have been out anywhere from 20 minutes to 12 hours. With the after effects we've experienced I am leaning more towards the later of the two."

Sabrina stood up and joined Sarah in her pacing. "Maybe we can override that panel on the door?" she suggested.

"It would be taking a huge risk with that in the corner." Sarah motioned to the overhead camera fixated on them.

Sabrina sighed in frustration.

"We need to wait and see who took us. See what they want."

"And what if what they want is us dead? Are we supposed to just sit around and wait for them to come and kill us?" Sabrina asked.

"If they wanted us dead, we wouldn't be here discussing it, they would have done it already. Director Johnson must know we are missing by now. I'm sure he was alerted when we never showed up at the airport."

Their conversation came to a halt when they heard the sound of muffled voices approaching. Both agents backed away from the door, ready to take a fighting stance. Seconds later, the door slid open. The light from the hallway was bright as it spilled into the room, followed by the owners of the muffled voices.

Sarah and Sabrina both looked up in confusion as they came face to face with their captors.

"What?...What's going on here?" Sarah questioned, more confused than ever.

* * *

><p>"Looks like we got a hit on that license plate." Chuck scanned over the laptop. He tapped away at the keyboard, pulling up images and zooming in on others. "There." he said pointing it out to Casey. "They left San Pedro traveling northeast. Looks like they stopped here just outside Bella Vista, close to the Brazilian boarder. There's been no movement for the past 3 hours. Let me pull up the exact coordinates."<p>

"Nice work Chuck." Casey replied.

Chuck tapped at the keyboard some more and seconds later the coordinates popped up along with an image. He zoomed in on the image.

"What is that?" Casey asked, looking over Chuck's shoulder.

Chuck scrunched up his nose. "I'm not sure. It looks like some sort of compound or something."

"Maybe it was one of Cruz's. We still don't know if he was involved with this or not."

"I'm going to try to pull some satellite imaging, see if we can get a better look at things, so we know what we're walking in to here."

"Good thinking. We can use all the Intel we can get."

* * *

><p>"General Beckman?...Director Johnson?" Sarah questioned. Sabrina stood speechless, both of them in a state of shock.<p>

"What is going on here?...You're behind all of this?"

"We apologize for the inconvenience Agent Walker, Agent Andrews, but given the circumstances, extreme measures had to be taken." Beckman replied.

"The circumstances? What are you talking about? I don't understand."

"Agent Walker, as you know Chuck Bartowski's training has been highly unorthodox from the very beginning." Director Johnson interjected. "He is a special case. He has a different mindset than your typical spy. If he's going to be an agent… if you are going to work together as a team…well, being compromised like you two are, we need to know he's going to be able to handle it. That both of you are. You did your part, you completed your mission, knowing that he was going through the extreme training that he was and not being able to help him and well…now it's his turn."

Sarah shook her head in disbelief. "Wait…What?...So our mission…" she motioned to herself and Sabrina who was standing beside her still somewhat in shock. "Our mission wasn't real? It was a test?"

"In a sense…yes. Don't get me wrong, it was a real mission, and it did provide some good experience for Agent Andrews, but there was definitely an ulterior motive. This was a test for you just as much as it was for him."

Sarah huffed and gave her head a shake, crossing her arms in front of her chest and turning her back to them in disgust. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"So what now?" Sabrina finally chimed in.

"Now, we wait." Replied Beckman.

"We wait?... For what?" Sarah turned to face them again.

"To see if he can be a spy? To see if he can figure it out….save you, without letting his emotions get in the way." Beckman replied matter-of-factly.

"So he doesn't know either? He thinks this is real too? That we're missing?"

"It's part of his training." Johnson defended.

"And Casey?"

"He doesn't know about this part of the training either. We needed it to be as real as possible. Bartowski is a bag or emotions, if he's going to be a spy we need to know that he can work around those. What better way to do that than by capturing his girlfriend? See how he handles a mission with the uncertainty of the fate of those he cares about hanging in the balance. Will he crack under the pressure or rise to the occasion? Only time will tell."

"He's in no shape for a mission of this altitude after what he's just been through." Sarah snapped back.

"Agent Walker that is not your call." Beckman spoke up once again.

Sarah was fuming. She had to literally bite her tongue to keep from losing it.

"Director, I thought it was customary to give agents a brief cooling off period after the withstanding torture training? A chance for the body to refuel if you will." Sabrina found her voice again.

"Yes well, like the General said, Chuck's training has been quite unorthodox from the very beginning."

"So, we're supposed to just sit here and wait? To see if he can figure it out? If he can save us?" Sarah questioned.

"Exactly." Johnson responded.

"And if we refuse?" Sarah was really overstepping her bounds with the new Director and General Beckman but she was absolutely livid.

"Agent Walker, if you refuse, you would be defying orders and punished accordingly. I advise you to keep in mind that although you have been fully reinstated, it wouldn't take much on my end, given your history, to revoke all of that. Don't give me a reason to." He warned.

"Perhaps you could use some time to digest all of this." Beckman said as she guided the director towards the door. "We'll have someone bring you two something to eat."

Without another word, Beckman and Johnson made their exit, the door slamming shut behind them.

"Sarah…" Sabrina placed her hand on her arm in an attempt to offer her some sense of comfort.

"Don't!" Sarah pulled away. She made her way over to her cot and sat down with her back pressed against the wall. She brought her knees up and hugged them to her chest, resting her chin on top of them.

"I'm sorry Sarah…I…I don't know what to say." Sabrina walked to the edge of her own cot and sat down on its edge facing Sarah.

Sarah sighed deeply. "I didn't mean to snap at you." She replied. Her voice much softer this time around.

"It's okay. I get it. You're mad…I'm mad. I've never heard of such a thing before."

"It's ridiculous. I don't know what they expect from him? Hasn't he proved himself to them yet? I mean really, are they trying to kill him? He's not a machine."

"Well, he kind of is." Sabrina replied.

The very small makings of a smile appeared on Sarah's face as she took in what Sabrina was saying. One could easily argue that with the intersect securely in his head, that Chuck Bartowski, was in fact a machine.

"He's going to do this Sarah." She tried her best to reassure her.

Sarah looked up and her eyes met Sabrina's. "How do you know that?"

Sabrina smiled. "Because he's Chuck."

* * *

><p>"General, we're not sure what kind of a compound this is. It looks like they're operating some kind of security system. I've been trying to hack into it, but haven't been successful yet. Whatever they're using is clearly very high tech. They're no amateurs." Chuck addressed the General over the monitor.<p>

"And you were able to do all of this while still in the air?"

"Yes General."

"I'm impressed Bartowski. Anything else to report?" she asked.

"Casey's working on getting some back up brought in. It'll still be a couple of hours before we land. They should be there to meet us once we're on the ground."

"Very well. Let me know once you land. I want you two checking in before you make any moves."

"Yes General." Chuck replied before Beckman disconnected their call.

* * *

><p>"He seems to be doing quite well." Director Johnson stated. He had been in the background listening to the conference call between the General and Bartowski.<p>

"Yes. He has proven to be very resourceful. His computer hacking skills have always been an asset. He's an intelligent man."

"I can see that. Do you think he will hold up physically?"

The General shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Major Casey tells me he is in quite a bit of pain, but he's been pushing through. He won't even take a painkiller because he doesn't want to compromise his abilities."

The director smirked. "He's stubborn."

"Yes. Much like someone else I know."

"Walker?"

Beckman nodded.

"She's pretty mad isn't she?"

"That's putting it mildly."

"If they're going to be a team, she has to let him do this. She needs to ease up and stop trying to protect him. He needs to be her equal." Johnson stated.

"I know, but it was her job to protect him for a long time. I don't think she'll ever stop trying to protect him. Especially now. She loves him."

"I can see that. I really hope this works; this team has so much potential. I'd hate to have to dismantle it."

"Would you really do that? Bartowski agreed to keep the intersect and go through the training to become a spy only if they were partnered up together."

"I'm confident that it won't come to that. My main concern right now is Walker. She seems to be a bit of a wild card. Is she going to be a liability? Did I make a mistake re-instating her?"

"She's a good agent, Johnson. One of the best. Give her a break. This whole being in love thing, it's new for her. Give her a chance to figure it out."

Johnson gave a small nod. His attention shifted to the other monitor in the room that showed Sarah and Sabrina sitting on their respective cots engaged in a conversation.

"I just hope she figures it out sooner rather than later."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay, so not too much action, but I did give you some answers with this one. We are officially in the home stretch here, I hope you are all still with me. Thanks for reading and as always I look forward to any reviews you want to throw my way. <strong>_


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N Okay, so technically this is the final chapter. It's not your typical ending for me though. I am not categorizing this as completed yet because I am going to post a short epilogue which will answer any unanswered questions, so after you read this, don't freak out. LOL. Hope you enjoy.**

**Chapter 30**

"Here." Casey handed Chuck a large bag of ice as he sat down in the seat next to him. "It'll help. Take advantage of this time you have, while we're still in the air."

"Thanks." Chuck replied. He winced as he sat forward in his seat so that he could loosen his shirt. Sitting back in his seat, he tugged it up from the bottom hem, slipping the bag of ice under the thin material. He closed his eyes tightly and squinted as the coldness pierced through him.

"Here, take these." Casey handed him two small white pills and a bottle of water.

"Casey I told you, I'm not taking those painkillers."

"It's just aspirin. I swear. You'll be fine."

Chuck wearily took them from Casey and tossed them to the back of his throat, chasing them with a gulp of water from the bottle.

"Have you been doing some deep breathing?"

"Casey!"

"What? It prevents pneumonia. Anyone who has had broken ribs before, including myself, will tell you just how important it is that you practice some deep breathing throughout the day."

"Okay, Okay, if it will get you off my back."

Chuck proceeded to take some slow, deep breaths. Casey couldn't help but notice the pained expression on his face as he did so. Chuck stopped after the fourth one. The sharp intake of air was incredibly painful. Besides he had work to do, he had no time for this nonsense. Not when lives were at stake. Particularly Sarah's.

"There. Are you satisfied?"

Casey grunted a response and Chuck turned his attention back to the laptop in front of him.

* * *

><p>"I've been thinking about asking for some time off, maybe heading up to Portland for a few days." Sabrina's words came out of nowhere taking Sarah by surprise. She sat up on her cot to look at her.<p>

"To see your family?" Sarah asked.

Sabrina nodded. "Ever since you told me about your run in with them…well I just can't get them out of my head. I miss them…They're all I have now."

"That's not true Sabrina." Sarah said shaking her head. "You have friends. And maybe you didn't know this, but when you're on a team with Chuck Bartowski…well, you have a family."

Sabrina smiled.

"I'm really glad you decided to go see them though. They are going to be thrilled when they find out that you're alive."

"You think?"

"Of course. I told you, they couldn't stop raving about you. You were obviously the light of their life. They are going to be overjoyed when you show up on their doorstep." Sarah chuckled, "Just be warned, your father likes to pull a gun on any trespassers."

Sabrina smiled. "Some things never change." She said thinking about all the times her father would pull that very same gun on any perspective suitors coming to the house to take her out on a date. She didn't often get a second date with them.

Their conversation was interrupted when they heard the access panel on the door beep. The door slid open and a guard entered carrying two trays of food.

"Beckman thought you might be hungry." He announced setting one of the trays down on the cot next to Sabrina.

"Thanks." She replied as he placed the second tray down next to Sarah. And just as quickly as he had entered the room, he left without another word.

Sabrina lifted the lid on her tray. She was quite impressed with the spread Beckman and Johnson had sent them.

"Wow." She commented. "Not what I was expecting."

"I guess we're not your typical prisoners." Sarah replied.

"Clearly. Maybe they feel guilty. " Sabrina said picking at some of the fresh fruit that was on her tray.

"I doubt it. Sometimes I wonder whether these higher ups even have a conscience." Sarah grabbed the bottle of water from her tray and twisted off the cap. She took a small sip, followed by a much larger swig of the cold refreshing beverage. She didn't realize how thirsty she was. Of course they hadn't had anything to eat or drink since breakfast at the hotel and from what Sarah could tell that was probably well over 12 hours ago.

"What time do you think it is?" Sabrina asked.

"I'm not sure. If I had to guess I would have to say early evening."

"Where do you think Chuck is?"

"Probably in the air somewhere." Sarah plucked a grape from the bunch residing on her tray, trying her best to appear calm and collective. To not let her nerves get the best of her. She was worried about him.

"Maybe when you go visit your parents you can see about getting their truck back to them. CIA has it in lockdown." Sarah said trying to change the subject. "Or at least let me give you some money for a proper payment for them. They really went out their way for us."

"You don't have to do that. Do you know how old that truck was? I'm sure the thing was on its last leg."

"Regardless, it's only right. They didn't have to help us."

Sabrina smiled. As overprotective as they may have been of her, they were truly incredible human beings. Kind hearted and always willing to go out of their way for others. The best parents anyone could hope for.

"Sarah?"

"Hmm?" Sarah took another sip from her bottle.

"What am I supposed to say to them when I see them?"

* * *

><p>"Have they landed yet?" Johnson asked as he entered Beckman's makeshift office at the secret compound.<p>

"Almost an hour ago. They're headed here, rounding up their team on the way. Bartowski has called in air strike and ground brigades, has them all on standby." Beckman said with a smirk.

"He's taking all precautions."

"Just as I expected he would."

"This rescue mission is going to cost a fortune." He sighed. "I don't want any casualties here." Johnson confessed.

"Don't worry. I know Bartowski; he's not big on guns. He'll most likely use a tranq pistol. With him running point on this, he'll probably insist on Major Casey and the rest of his operatives using them as well."

"That's….unheard of, not to mention unprofessional."

"Well, it's certainly…unorthodox, and maybe it's not protocol but it's always been effective just the same."

"Am I making a mistake here Diane? Perhaps I'm getting in way over my head. I mean what do I know about being Director of the CIA?"

"Sam, you wouldn't have gotten the job if they didn't think you could handle it. You have years of dedicated service under your belt. Yes Agent Walker is mad as hell right now and I'm pretty sure Bartowski is going to be livid, but you're doing your job. He hasn't had the training that our agents have. Chuck's has been an intense, albeit condensed version. If he can pull this mission off without letting his emotions and his injures get the best of him, then we know he's ready."

"And what if he can't do it? The state he's in, I don't know many agents who could handle something like this." Johnson asked.

"Well…that's just not an option, now is it?"

* * *

><p>"Slow down Casey. According to the coordinates, the compound should be right up ahead." Chuck's attention shifted from the portable GPS in his hand to the darkness in front of them. He strained his eyes trying to see anything through the blackness.<p>

Casey slowed the van as they proceeded around a curve in the makeshift road.

"Dim the lights." Chuck ordered.

Casey did as instructed.

"Pull off up here. According to the GPS we have about 800 feet, we'll go it on foot from here on out."

Casey pulled over and parked the van. Chuck and Casey emerged. Several field agents emerged from the vans pulled up behind them. They gathered near with their weapons in hand awaiting further instruction.

"The mission is to reacquire Agents Walker and Andrews. No harm is to come to either of them. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir." Rang out among the troops.

"Lock and load gentlemen."

"Chuck, your tranq gun." Casey said holding out the pistol in his hand.

"I'm all set Casey." Chuck replied displaying his Colt .38 Super semi-automatic pistol.

Casey raised an eyebrow, surprised by Chuck's weapon of choice. "That's what you're bringing?" he asked.

"Yup." Chuck replied. Without another word he proceeded towards the compound, his troops falling in behind him. Casey right by his side.

As the men approached the compound, Chuck laid out the outline of its structure for his troops. Everything he had learned about the place, the lay out, the entrances and exits, the ventilation system, the security system, the underground tunnels. The troops surrounded the compound on all sides, covering all points of entry. Chuck gave the orders and they penetrated the compound.

* * *

><p>"They're here." Beckman announced with a smirk as she eyed the monitor.<p>

Director Johnson stopped his pacing and moved in to glance over her shoulder at the screen.

"He's moving remarkably well, considering his injuries." Johnson commented.

"It's the adrenaline rush. God help him when it wears off."

The two continued to watch the monitors closely as Chuck and his team infiltrated their base, taking out guard after guard.

* * *

><p>There were three levels to the compound. The ground level that they entered on along with one above them and one below them. Chuck, Casey and a few of his agents took the bottom level while he ordered his troops to cover the other two, once again making it perfectly clear to everyone that no harm was to come to Agent Walker or Agent Andrews.<p>

Chuck cautiously approached a corner, gun in hand, ready to fire should the need arise. He slowly inched his way around, Casey close behind. He froze when he discovered that he had run into a dead end. No guards, no doorway, no windows, nothing. He lowered his gun and stood upright, wincing at the shift in his body's stance.

"This isn't right." He spoke in hushed tones to Casey.

Casey looked equally confused. He brought his radio to his mouth. "This is Major Casey. Report." He ordered.

"Upper level clear." Came a muffled voice over the radio.

"Ground level report." Casey replied. He was met with static. "Ground level report." He repeated. Again, no answer.

"Something's wrong." Casey acknowledged. "Perhaps they ran into some trouble. Or maybe they're just not picking up our signal."

Chuck shook his head. "No. This isn't right. We have to be missing something." He examined the hallway closely. After some further investigation it didn't take him long to notice the slight variation in the wall texture where the hallway curved. Chuck's hands moved slowly and carefully over the surface. He made it about halfway up the wall with one hand, when his eyes rolled back and the images flashed in his head. A secret panel. Finding the exact spot on the wall, he moved his fingertip in a counter clockwise fashion forming a distinct pattern on the wall's surface. The wall slowly began to shift. It separated from the wall adjacent to it revealing a secret entryway. Chuck smirked.

"This way." He ordered taking the lead. The hallway connected to a series of different pathways. Chuck ordered his men to split up. Casey stayed with him to cover his back. 30 feet in they ran into a couple of armed guards. Casey worked on the big one. The other one attacked Chuck at full force, slamming him into the wall. Chuck groaned in pain and he felt the wind knocked out of him, leaving him slow to react. Doubled over, he took his opponent by surprise when he delivered an uppercut to his chin.

"Ahh!" Chuck cried out in pain "Son of a bit…"

"Chuck look out!" Casey called out.

Chuck ducked out to the way just in time to avoid the guard's fist connecting with his jaw. Mustering all the strength he could, Chuck pummeled him into the wall. His knee connecting with the man's groin, he doubled over and Chuck struck him upside the head with the barrel of his gun and he fell to the floor in a heap.

Chuck gasped for air as he struggled once again to stand upright. He turned to see Casey deliver one final blow to his attacker who in turn fell to the ground as well. Casey quickly turned his attention to Chuck. "You okay?" he asked making his way over to him.

Chuck's breaths were shallow. He managed to give Casey a nod.

"Are you sure?" Casey asked.

"Yeah." He managed to get out. "Come on… let's go."

The two continued down the corridor. It broke off into three more hallways. They searched them all thoroughly taking out agent after agent. As they continued down the last of the corridors, it led to a single doorway, with an electrical panel. Chuck instantly flashed on it.

"What?" he questioned.

"What is it Brtowski?" Casey asked.

The panel….Casey it's…its CIA…it's one of ours."

Casey looked at him with confusion. He eyed their surroundings. "Something's wrong Chuck. We should get out of here… Contact Beckman and Johnson."

"No! Sarah's here…Sabrina's here…somewhere. We're not leaving without them."

Casey gave him a nod. Chuck turned his attention back to the access panel. He flashed again and quickly tapped in the correct access code. The door opened slowly. Chuck and Casey raised their guns and entered.

It took a moment for their eyes to adjust to the lighting difference. They were able to make out two cots on each side of the room, with two bodies occupying them. Chuck gasped when he made out the blonde hair on the one farthest from him.

"Sarah." He sprinted towards her. When he reached the cot he quickly removed the blanket to reveal the occupant. She stirred beneath his touch.

"Oh my God! Sarah!"

Casey made his way over to the other cot where Sabrina laid sound to sleep.

"Sarah?" Chuck goaded her gently.

She stirred in his arms and her eyes fluttered open.

"Chuck?...Chuck!" she bolted upright and threw her arms around his neck. "You're here."

"I'm here." He replied, pulling her close. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She replied.

"Andrews, you okay?" Casey asked as she too was awakened from her slumber.

"Yeah." she said rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Come on, let's get them out of here Chuck." Casey said not waiting for any explanations.

Chuck stood up and held his hand out to Sarah. He pulled her up from the cot. "Let's go." He said, cocking his gun.

Sarah was shocked to see him carrying the semi-automatic pistol as opposed to his usual tranq gun.

Footsteps were heard approaching from outside the door. "Take cover." Chuck ordered.

The dark figure made his way through the doorway and Chuck raised his gun pressing it hard into the man's forehead, ready to pull the trigger. "Not another step." He ordered. The man froze in his tracks.

"Chuck no!" Sarah called out from behind him.

"Stay back Sarah."

"Chuck please, you can't…." she pleaded.

"Stand down Bartowski." Came the voice of one General Diane Beckman who appeared in the doorway.

"General?" A shocked and very confused Chuck met her eyes. The man in front of him took a step back towards the door and into the light. "Director?...I don't…understand….What the hell is going on here?"

* * *

><p>"A test?" Chuck hesitantly lowered his gun. He looked to Beckman and Johnson and shifted his attention between them and his team standing behind him. "This is a joke right?" he chuckled, "It's a joke." He repeated trying to convince himself.<p>

"No Chuck, it's no joke." Johnson replied.

Chuck exhaled and ran his hand through his hair in frustration, giving his head a shake in disbelief.

"No….I…I don't get it….Why? Why would you do this? I….passed my tests…you told me I passed my tests!...Why would you make me believe that my team had been captured?"

Casey looked on just as confused as Chuck.

"We needed to know you could do it Chuck. That you wouldn't let your emotions or your physical limitations get in the way of completing your mission." Director Johnson explained. "The intersect….well, it's a new science, we may never fully understand it or what can effect it. You're not the typical agent Chuck. Most agents are able to shut their emotions off. Separate the job from their personal life, but with you…well, we're taking a huge risk here and so would any team you're a part of. But you did it Chuck. You proved us wrong. Your training came through when you really needed it. Not only did you prove that you can do this, that you can lead a successful mission, but you did it in such a compromised state. You pushed through physical and emotional pain and you came out on top. You're a true spy Chuck."

"This is unbelievable." Chuck replied. "I think I'm going to be sick." He brought his hand over his mouth.

Sarah stepped up and placed her hand on Chuck's shoulder trying to comfort him. He turned to face her. "Did you know about this?" he asked.

"No! Of course not Chuck. I never would have been a part of this."

"And you?" he asked turning his attention to Casey.

Casey gave his head a shake.

"None of the team knew Chuck." Beckman chimed in. "We needed it to be as real as possible for everyone involved. That said, congratulations AGENT Bartowski."

Chuck looked up at the mention of the word agent. He took another look around the room, he looked to his team, to his superiors standing in front of him. "No." he said giving his head a shake. "No, I don't want any part of this…I won't be a part of this." Chuck pushed past them and stormed off, leaving his team and his superiors behind.

"I told you this was wrong!" Sarah snapped as she addressed Beckman and Johnson.

Director Johnson was at a loss for words. His plan had completely backfired on them.

"Let him cool off." Beckman said. "You all have rooms reserved at the Embassy hotel in town, sleep it off, a CIA jet will take you back to Los Angeles tomorrow and we'll reconvene then."

Sarah huffed and stormed past them heading off in the direction Chuck had just gone. It didn't take her long to catch up with him out in the corridor. All the action had finally caught up with him and his body as he inched his way down the hall.

"Chuck!" she called after him. She quickened her pace and reached him in no time.

He placed his left hand on the wall to steady himself as he turned to face her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. "Are you Okay?" she asked.

He rested his chin on her shoulder. "No." he replied. "I'm definitely not okay Sarah."

She held him to her tightly. "I'm sorry Chuck….I'm so sorry."

* * *

><p>The ride back to the hotel was relatively quiet. Casey drove with Agent Andrews in the passenger seat. Chuck and Sarah sat in the backseat, their fingers intertwined. Chuck had barely said two words since leaving the compound and the tension in the van was thick.<p>

Beckman had insisted on Chuck being checked out by a CIA physician before leaving the compound and despite his natural instinct to refuse, he was far too spent to argue with her. Fortunately for him, despite all the rigorous physical activity he had taken part in, he did not cause any further damage to his injuries; however, the pain he had previously masked with his overwhelming abundance of adrenaline had come full surface and it was excruciating.

Walking through the lobby of the hotel, without Chuck seeing, Casey pulled Sarah aside. He produced Chuck's bottle of painkillers from his jacket pocket. "See if you can't get him to take one. He really needs them, he's been refusing, didn't want them to knock him out."

Sarah gave Casey a nod and tucked them into her pocket.

Sarah was relieved when she and Chuck finally arrived at their room. She wanted nothing more than some time alone with him to talk, to see where his head was at. He had worked so hard to become an agent and yes she would be the first to admit that what Johnson and Beckman had done was beyond completely messed up, but he earned that title and she would hate to see him throw that away after all he had accomplished.

"You want to talk?" she asked, closing the door behind them.

"Not really." He replied dryly.

"Chuck, you always want to talk. Are you mad at me?"

"No. I'm not mad at you Sarah, I'm just…mad."

She came up behind him, placed her right hand on his back and grazed her lips against his shoulder. "You need some rest."

He nodded and turned to face her. "I need to take a shower. Can you help me with my bandages?"

She nodded. "Of course."

Chuck made his way over to the bed and slowly eased himself down to sit on the edge. He winced once again when he tried to lean down to remove his shoes.

"Stop." Sarah intervened. "Let me."

Chuck didn't protest.

Once Sarah had removed his shoes and socks, she stood upright and slipped his jacket off of his shoulders. She carefully slipped his shirt over his head trying her best not to provoke much movement on his end.

"Ahhh!"

"I'm sorry." She apologized, she didn't like seeing him in pain.

"It's fine, you didn't do anything."

Chuck sat before her in just his pants and his bandages. Sarah climbed up on the bed and scooted herself behind him as she searched for the end of the tape. She found it and carefully gave it a tug to loosen it. She took her time and carefully unraveled it around him, allowing the bandages to fall free. They pooled at his waist line and her breath caught in her throat when she took in the bruises. Her hand resting gently on his side.

"It's okay." He said placing his hand on top of hers.

Her other hand gently caressed his back before she leaned in and pressed her lips against the side of his head. "I never should have let you do this."

"It wasn't up to you Sarah. It was my decision."

"I should have protected you."

"You can't protect me from everything Sarah. I would never expect you to…I wouldn't want you to."

She laid her chin gently on his shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you too Sarah." He shifted slowly so that his eyes met hers. "More than anything."

He brushed his lips softly against hers, their foreheads rested against one another's. They stayed like this for a while, just reveling in the other's presence.

* * *

><p>Sarah had insisted on helping Chuck with his shower. She led him to the bathroom. Once inside, she turned on the faucet, adjusted the water temperature and started the shower. Sarah made her way back over to where Chuck was standing. She reached for the waist band of his pants and pulled him towards her. Freeing the button on his pants from its hole, she then lowered his zipper and with much care removed his pants along with his boxers. She took hold of his hand and led him to the tub allowing him to step inside.<p>

Sarah took a step back and began removing her own clothes. Chuck's breath caught in his throat as she stepped into the shower with him. He eyed her appreciatively.

"God Sarah, you're so beautiful."

Sarah smiled shyly as she reached for a washcloth. She proceeded to wet it under the stream of hot water.

"What I wouldn't do to make love to you right now. Unfortunately I'm not exactly up to par here." He said with a smile.

"Well, I guess I'll have to take a rain check on that. You'll have to make it up to me when you are." She replied.

"Absolutely." He said with a smile.

Sarah applied some body wash to the cloth. She stepped up to him and placed it on his chest. She moved it over him gently, working up a nice lather. She washed him thoroughly and made her way around him to work on his back. Sarah ever so carefully proceeded to wash his entire body, including his hair. When she finished Chuck turned to face her. She gazed up into his eyes and she couldn't hold back the tears any longer. They cascaded down her face, mixing with the water that streamed from the shower head above her.

"What's the matter?" he asked with concern.

Sarah stepped into him and leaned against his chest. His arms came up to embrace her. "I was so worried about you."

"I was worried about you too…I didn't know if I would ever see you again."

Her arms circled his waist and the two stood in each other's embrace until the water turned cold, finally forcing them to get out.

* * *

><p>Once Sarah was dressed in some suitable sleepwear, which consisted of a tank top and a pair of boy short underwear, she made her way out to the bedroom. Chuck was seated on the edge of the bed again, wearing just a pair of clean boxer shorts.<p>

"We don't have any fresh bandages Chuck." She announced.

"That's okay. The doctor said I didn't really need to wear them, it actually feels better to have them off. I only wore them for some extra protection while in the field. Plus I didn't really have anyone to help me take them off."

"Casey wouldn't help?" she asked with all seriousness before finally cracking a smile.

"Funny."

Sarah made her way over to her jacket which she had draped over a nearby chair. She pulled out the bottle of painkillers and handed them to him. "You need to take one."

"Sarah, these things knock me out cold."

"And what's wrong with that? Do you have some place to be?"

"Well no, not anymore."

Sarah grabbed a bottle of cold water from the mini bar in the room and sauntered over to him with it. Chuck opened the pill bottle and poured one of the pills into his hand. He popped it into his mouth and chased it with a gulp of water.

"Come on, you should get some sleep." She reached for his hands which he readily handed over to her. He stood up and Sarah pulled back the covers on the bed. Chuck carefully laid down on his side of the bed. Sarah adjusted his pillows before hopping over him to get to the other side of the bed. She knelt next to him.

"Have you been doing any deep breathing?" she asked.

Chuck looked at her with a smirk on his face.

"What?" she asked.

"You're kidding right?" he asked.

"No, why would you think I was kidding?"

"What is with you and Casey and this deep breathing."

"It prevents pneumonia Chuck. Believe me I've had my share of broken ribs in my day, it really helps the healing process."

"I did some earlier on the plane." He said hoping that would appease her.

"That's it?" she asked.

He gave a nod.

"Well that's not enough. Come on, I'll do it with you."

"Sarah, that's really not necessary." He tried to protest, but Sarah shot him a deadly glare and he knew he had best shut up.

"Come on." She instructed. "Slow deep breaths."

Sarah took a deep breath, Chuck mimicked her actions. Together they slowly released. Sarah took note of the pained expression on his face.

"I know it hurts Chuck, but I promise it will help."

Chuck repeated the action 7 more times before he threw in the towel and Sarah conceded. She switched off the light and settled in beside him.

"Why are you so far away?" he asked.

"I'm not, I'm right here." She replied.

Chuck raised his arms beckoning her closer to him.

"Chuck, I don't want to hurt you."

"The only thing that's hurting me is you being so far away. Please Sarah…I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too." She said sliding closer to him. She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. "I wish you weren't in so much pain. I would show you just how much."

"Believe me Sarah, I wish I wasn't either. There are a few things I would love to show you." He pulled her in for another kiss, which was quickly becoming heated. Sarah forced herself to pull away. She couldn't let it go too far with him, not when he was in the condition he was. The last thing she wanted was to tease him.

Chuck pulled her back into his arms and she settled her head on his shoulder.

"It's been one hell of a long week." He said with a sigh that quickly tuned into a yawn.

It was minutes later before either of them spoke again.

"Chuck?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you really quitting?" she asked.

"I don't see how I could continue with the agency. Not now."

"You've worked so hard Chuck. You have accomplished so much. I get that you're mad and I'm totally on your side, I'm mad too. Furious over what they did. What Beckman and Johnson did was so wrong…but…I just…I know how much you wanted this. I'd hate to see you throw it all away. I just don't want you to ever have any regrets…You're a good spy Chuck."

"You don't have to say that Sarah."

"I know I don't Chuck, but it's the truth. Do you know that you almost beat my time on the chemical warfare escape? Your best time was just seconds more than mine. And Casey didn't so much as say so, but I am pretty sure that you DID beat his."

"Yeah right."

"Chuck I'm serious."

"Really?"

"Really. You led that rescue mission Chuck. You overcame extreme physical pain to complete your task. You put your mind over matter. That's what a real spy does. I was wrong not to support you at first, but I want you to know that whatever you decide, I am behind you 100%."

"I would have done anything to find you Sarah." He yawned as he felt the effects of his pain killer kicking in.

"I know." She draped her arm carefully over his chest, and ran her fingers through his sparse chest hair.

"Chuck?"

She was met with silence and she could hear his breathing settle. She knew he was asleep.

"I love you Chuck. More than _YOU"LL_ ever know."

* * *

><p><strong><em>The End. LOL well almost. Epilogue coming soon. I hope you didn't hate it, I did warn you that it was not my typical ending for a story, but it will definitely feel more like it once the epilogue is posted. Thanks for all of you who have stuck with this story, It honestly turned into something much different that I had anticipated in the beggining. <em>**

**_For any of you wondering. I have started work on my sequel to New Girl. I haven't decided yet if it will be another long one shot or a few chapters long but I am leaning more towards a one shot. Having said that, I have no title so I will gladly take any suggestions you may have and if it fits my story and I like it I may go with it. I can tell you it will definitely be a 'Chuck vs." title, so let me know if you have an idea. tahnks and as alwasy thanks for reading. I look forward to any reviews you feel like sending my way._**


	31. epilogue

**A/N: Well this is it. What a journey this story has been. I want to say thank you to all of you who have continually reviewed and sent PMs, and just supported this story through all its ups and downs. Thank you and enjoy.**

**Epilogue**

Sarah placed the framed photograph of her and Chuck on the mantle and took a step back taking a moment to admire it. She smiled at the memory. Glancing at her watch she sighed when she saw the time. She turned her attention to the piles of cardboard boxes that were scattered about the new apartment. There was still so much to do before their dinner guests arrived in exactly 5 hours and 47 minutes. Perhaps they shouldn't have done this on the same day they were moving into the new apartment.

Her attention shifted to the door when Chuck entered, completely unexpected.

"Chuck!"

"Hey baby." He said making a few quick strides towards her.

"What are you doing here? I thought your plane didn't get in for another 2 hours."

"Well, I finished up with Beckman and Director Johnson early. They couldn't get me to sign the papers fast enough. I told them I needed to get back here. They let me use one of the jets."

This didn't particularly surprise Sarah, not with all the groveling the agency had to do in order to get him to finally accept a position with the agency after the stunt they had pulled in Paraguay last month.

Chuck came to stand in front of her. "What? I've been gone nearly three days; I thought maybe you would be a little excited to see me."

Her smile stretched ear to ear. "Of course I'm excited to see you." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I missed you." Her lips found his and he responded eagerly to her kiss.

"Mmmm…what is that strawberry lip balm?" he asked pulling away.

"Cherry." She replied.

"Well, it's delightful."

She laughed. He always made her laugh. She found it to be incredibly sexy.

Sarah leaned back in and captured his lips again.

Just as they were really getting into it, she pulled away abruptly.

"Anyway, I'm glad you're here. We have so much to do before dinner tonight."

"Sarah, honey. I think the unpacking can wait. It is after all our first day in our new apartment. If we have some boxes lying around when our guest get here, then so be it, they'll understand. Now, I for one am feeling great, the best I've felt in a month. I think it's safe to say my ribs are well healed by now, I think maybe there are _other things_ that can occupy our time."

"You mean…?"

Chuck gave her a nod and a smile as he advanced towards her and circled his arms around her waist.

"Chuck are you sure? I mean it's only been 4 weeks."

"Sarah, I have never been surer of anything…Like you said… it's been 4 weeks." He eyed her seductively and she bit her lip in anticipation.

Taking her completely by surprise he swept her off her feet and into his arms.

"Ohhh! Chuck be careful. You're going to hurt yourself."

Ignoring her pleas, Chuck carried her off to their new bedroom. He meandered them around the cardboard boxes and into the bedroom. Sarah's lips found his neck and she began trailing kisses down its length.

The bedroom was still mostly packed up. Their bed was put together but that was it, no sheets, no blankets.

"I didn't get to make the bed yet." She spoke softly.

"That's okay. Now we won't have to remake it."

His lips moved to hers and he sauntered over to the bed and gently laid her down on it. His knee hit the mattress just between her legs and he shifted his weight onto the bed. Hovering above her she reached for his shirt, more than eager to relieve him of it. With a little help from him, it was quickly discarded landing somewhere on the floor among the numerous boxes. Sarah reached for his pants. In record time she undid his belt and was able to pop the button.

"Hey." He said catching her hands in his. "Slow down."

"Chuck, it's been 5 weeks since I've been able to touch you."

"I know." He said lowering himself to the bed, pressing his body against hers. "That's why I think we should savor this moment." He stroked her cheek with his thumb. His lips descended on her, kissing her softly. Sarah's body reacted promptly. Her fingers worked their way through his hair, while his lips worked their way down her neck.

"Oh Chuck."

He began working on the tiny buttons on her top. He loosened them, slowly, one button at a time allowing her shirt to fall open revealing her silky smooth skin and her lacy undergarments. Chuck smiled with appreciation.

She stroked her fingers lovingly through his curls. His eyes met hers.

"I've really missed you." She said.

"I really love you." He replied and his mouth found hers again.

* * *

><p>"What time is everyone going to be here?" Chuck asked, as he cleared out several of the now empty card board boxes, ready to discard.<p>

Sarah placed the pot roast in the oven and closed the door.

"About 40 minutes." She said looking at her watch.

Chuck looked around the apartment, despite their impromptu love making session, they had managed to make good time and at least get the majority of their kitchen and living room unpacked.

"So, that's just enough time to take a shower and change." He said.

"Alright, just make it quick because I need to shower too." She replied.

Chuck made his way behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He nuzzled her neck.

"Actually, I thought maybe we could shower together. Save some time and all."

Sarah turned in his arms. She placed her hands on his arms. "Well, I don't know if that will save us time, but I do like the way you think Agent Bartowski."

Chuck smirked. "Agent." He repeated. "That sounds so….surreal."

"Well, you earned it. And I'm so incredibly proud of you." Her hands moved their way up his arms and didn't stop until they were clasped securely behind his neck. "This dinner tonight. Chuck this is a celebration for you, for our team. For the future."

"The future. And what a beautiful one it will be." He kissed her once more before leading her towards the bathroom.

* * *

><p>"What time was Sabrina's plane getting in?" Chuck asked handing Casey a cold beer.<p>

"About an hour ago, she wanted to go home, drop off her bags, shower and change first." He replied twisting the cap off the bottle and taking a swig.

"Have you heard anything about her trip? How it went with her parents?" Sarah asked taking a seat on the couch next to Chuck.

"We're not exactly BFFs Walker. If she's going to talk to anyone it would be you or Bartowski here. He is the one with all the lady feelings. You know that's not my style."

Their conversation was interrupted by the knocking on the door.

"Speak of the devil." Casey said.

Sarah jumped up from the couch and proceeded towards the door. "Be nice Casey."

Sarah opened the door to an eagerly awaiting Sabrina.

"Hey, you made it." Sarah said stepping aside to grant her entry.

"Hey Sarah."

"How was the trip?" Sarah asked.

"Good, it was good…Really great." She couldn't hide her smile.

Sarah was happy for her. The spy game could be a lonely business; she knew that all too well. So it gave her great joy to see that Sabrina was able to reconnect with her parents.

Chuck and Casey said their greetings before Sarah whisked Sabrina off to the kitchen in search of some wine.

* * *

><p>"Soooo, how did your parents take the news?" Sarah asked pouring them each a glass of Pinot Noir.<p>

Sabrina smiled, "Better than I hoped. They were speechless."

"I can imagine."

"Sarah, thank you."

"For what? I didn't do anything."

"You encouraged me to reconnect with them. If it wasn't for you, well, they would still think I was dead. They send their regards by the way."

Sarah stifled her laugh and clinked her glass with Sabrina's and the two indulged in their wine.

* * *

><p>"Sarah, dinner was great. You really outdid yourself. And this pie….well, it's delicious." Chuck gave her a wink from across the table.<p>

"Well, I can't take credit for the pie. It's from the bakery down the street." She replied.

"Chuck is right Sarah, everything was wonderful." Sabrina chimed in and Casey gave an appreciative grunt.

"So Chuck, how did it go in Washington? I am assuming its official now." Casey questioned.

Chuck smiled as he pulled his new badge from his pocket. "It's official."

"Congratulations Chuck."

"Thanks Sabrina."

"You know what this means Bartowski?" Casey asked.

Chuck looked at him confused. "What's that?" he asked.

"No more waiting in the car."

"That's right." Chuck replied. "As of tomorrow, the new team is up and running." Chuck raised his glass. The other three followed suit and they clinked their glasses together.

Tomorrow would be the start of a whole new chapter for them all.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Well I can officially say "The End" now. Thank you all for reading, I would love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, so reviews are always welcomed and greatly appreciated. Thank you.<strong>_


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